George Burton

George left us peacefully at the age of 92 having lived a full and meaningful life.

Born in Blackburn, England in 1920 George joined the elite Coldstream Guards and served in Africa and Italy during the Second World War.  Upon returning home he joined the Blackburn Borough Police until 1948 when he emigrated to Canada and found a position with the Vancouver City Police where he stayed until his retirement in 1980.  George was known as the "Laughing Policeman" as he always found humour in life, he loved his time on the force and loved to tell stories of police life in Vancouver during those 30 years served, he turned his stories into poems and published "Poetic Diary of Constable #77 retired".   In 1954 George and other officers founded the Vancouver Police Motorcycle Drill Team and the team would practice 2 hours every week on their own time under the instruction of Trev Deeley. He was actively involved with the Shriners for 35 years.  George was loved by his family and friends and will be missed by all.

The family is deeply grateful to the staff of the Finnish Manor in Burnaby for their kind and loving care of George in his final days.

You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence for the family

GRATEFUL

I am grateful for the friendship

of the people in my life

I am grateful for the sharing

with a warm and devoted wife

I am grateful for the long life

that I have endured with little pain

I am grateful that I have the brains

to come in from the rain

I am grateful for the sunshine

that brightens up my day

which brings out all the foliage

in a magnificent way

I am grateful for much more

things I haven't penned

to this long and wondrous life

that seems to be no end

For all the happy memories

I can still share with a friend

keeps me happy and content

and will to the very end.

George Burton -- May 8th, 2007