Burton passed away September 06, 2018.
The celebration was held at the St. Charles Country Club on the evening of May
11th. The celebration started with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. John Unger said
“Grace” before the dinner.
The formal program began during dessert with John Melnick presenting Burton with the “Book of Burton”.
Earlier in the evening, everyone was asked to write something on a “Memories of Burton” sheet that was
handed out. These were placed into the book, along with copies of Burton’s original membership
application, the Winnipeg Sun ad and a message from President John Melnick. Two of the memory pages
were read to the gathering.
District Governor Rod Riopel gave his birthday greeting to Burton. He started by saying that there are 1.2
million Rotarians in 550 Districts worldwide and that District 5550 has 46 Clubs. He was honoured to be
here as Burton’s 100th was the first birthday he has attended. DG Riopel then read the following letter
written to Burton from RI President John Germ:
Dear Burton,
It’ s a pleasure to wish you a happy 100th birthday on behalf of the Rotary family, as well as congratulate you on
achieving a perfect attendance record at the Rotary Club of Winnipeg West. Know that we all will be celebrating with you.
With each year that passes, we have the opportunity to reflect on how we’ ve spent our lives to this point. By choosing to
devote not only your time but your skills and effort to your club, you’ re showing others what you value most: making a
difference. A perfect attendance record reflects your commitment to service.
I hope that you, as a member of Rotary for over 60 years, have felt a sense of accomplishment ad that you’ ll continue to
contribute to the world as part of “Rotary Serving Humanity” . On this special day, always remember that how you spend
your life is up to you.
I hope that you continue to find joy in the fellowship and service you experience through Rotary and wish you the best.
Sincerely,
John F. Germ
2016-17 President, Rotary International
.JPG)