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Burton Francis Kelso
January 18, 1926 - May 26, 2018
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<div itemprop="description">Burton Francis Kelso <br>January 18, 1926 - May 26, 2018 <br> <br>Peacefully in hospital surrounded by family, Burton Francis Kelso, aged 92, passed from this life following a brief illness. Loving husband of 62 years to Patricia Kelso (nee Harrington) and wonderful father to Jennifer (Ron McKay), Susan (Rod Martin), Carolyn (Gordon Bell) and Kathleen (Billy Hart). Cherished Poppa to Katie, Jonathan and Monika. Dear brother to Dianne Bilyeu. Predeceased by his parents Roy and Eva Kelso (nee Burton) and his brother David and sister Phyllis (Urban Volk). Burt was a kind and loving husband and father, an expert in history, architecture and good food and wine. He was a gifted and self-taught artist whose paintings gave pleasure to many. Born in Port Arthur, Ontario in 1926, he started working in his uncle's butcher shop, but when World War Two broke out he enlisted with the Canadian Navy. After the war he was inspired to finish school and earned his BA from the University of Toronto and his MA from the University of Washington in Seattle. He worked for the Public Service his entire career, serving in the Departments of National Defence and External Affairs, and with the Canadian Transport Commission. He served in Washington with the Canadian Joint Staff and as an attaché at the Canadian Embassy from 1965-69. The years in Washington were memorable for the whole family. He and Patricia enjoyed many adventures: taking up windsurfing in their mid-50's and sailing across Lac la Peche in Gatineau Park on summer Saturdays, travelling the world through Elderhostel after retirement, and eventually discovering the beauty of Oaxaca, Mexico. They spent many a winter there soaking up the local history and culture. Considered a wonderful father, he was always ready to listen and give sage advice, teaching us how to keep a "shipshape kitchen", and ensuring we learned the times tables by yelling them out the back door to the forest beyond. He took us on annual camping trips near and far and showed us the natural beauty of northern Ontario and the Maritimes. He loved fly fishing and the annual September weekends on a trout-stocked lake in Westport. Burt spent his last four years receiving excellent care at the Perley and Rideau Veterans Health Centre. Family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 30, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Amica at Westboro Park which is located at 491 Richmond Rd. A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, May 31, at the Pinecrest Remembrance Chapel (2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa), at 1 p.m. A reception will follow. If you wish to honour Burt's memory, a donation to the charity of your choice would be appreciated. <br> <br>Memorial Video Tribute : https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/TBLQMQNQJ8PZMHSX <br> <br> <br></div>