There will be a Zoom Memorial Service for Andrew on December 27, 2020 at 3 p.m. To attend the Memorial Service, click Here
Burghardt, Dr. Andrew Frank (Emeritus Professor, McMaster University), at St. Joseph’s Villa, Dundas, Ontario, on Friday, November 27, 2020, at the age of 96. Loving husband for 64 years of Mary (née Farrell). Loving father of Maryanne (Dr. Romeo Bruni) of Toronto, Paul (Paula) of Oakville, Margaret (Dr.) (Dr. Mark Rosati) of Orillia, Madeline (Dr.) (Richard Marshall) of Toronto, and Barbara (David Wilson) of Cambridge. Dear Poppa of Meghan (Mark Trifunovic), Alison (Adam Fore), and Sarah Bruni, Catherine and John Burghardt, Owen and Esmee Rosati, Seph, Tonnán and Raphael Marshall, Erin, Kate, and Emma Wilson.
Predeceased by his sister, Madeline and his brother Robert. Andrew was born in New York City on April 5, 1924, the son of Hungarian immigrants Anthony Burghardt and Mary Weiss. He served in the US Army in the Philippines in World War II, taking part in the invasion of Luzon. He received his B.A. cum laude from Harvard University, and his Masters and Ph.D. in geography from the University of Wisconsin (Madison). He taught at Stanford University prior to his appointment at McMaster in 1961. He was a visiting professor at the universities of Minnesota, Victoria, Guelph, and the Free University of Berlin. He specialized in political and historical geography, was a councilor of the Canadian Association of Geographers, and was awarded an Austrian medal of honour for his writings on Burgenland. Locally, he served with the County Planning Board, the Urban Renewal Committee, Commissions on Regional Government, and CAPIC. He was a member of the Bach-Elgar choir, Hamilton Right-to-Life, the Serra Club, and the St. Augustine’s parish council. After retiring in 1989, he wrote the history of his McMaster geography department, and served as archivist and historian, as well as lector and teacher in the RCIA program at St. Augustine’s in Dundas. He also wrote the histories of St. Augustine’s and the McMaster Newman Alumni Association.
Visitation will be held at Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main Street, Dundas, on Wednesday evening from 6:30 – 8 p.m. and Thursday from 2 – 5 p.m. as per the BAO directives, everyone must sign up for the visitation at https://signup.com/go/vPhmWro. Numbers are limited. Due to Covid-19 restrictions of assembly, the funeral will be by invitation only. Interment will be in St. Augustine’s Catholic Cemetery, Dundas. In lieu of flowers, please donate to: Students for Education, Empowerment, and Development (seedkenya.com), Keys to Inclusion (westtorontokeys.com), Larche Canada (larche.ca), or the St. Joseph Villa Foundation (sjvfoundation.ca).
“I will sing to the Lord all my life
I will sing praises to my God as long as I live”.
Fond Memories
Thoughts and prayers are with the Burghardt family at this very difficult time
So very sorry to hear about your dad Paul. Please know that we are thinking of you during this stressful time. He sounds like he was a wonderful gentleman who contributed much to his community.
Andrew was an excellent mentor for our St Augustines community. He would always make time to share his company and knowledge. A true Christian I will fondly remember always.
I met Andy not long after we arrived in Hamilton in 1967 for my first university position and joined the McMaster Catholic community where Jesuit Fr. Gerry Gallagher was the chaplain at the time. Joy and I have great memories of Catholic faculty and graduate student discussion groups that Andy and Mary hosted at their Dundas home. We have many fond memories of them both as warm, welcoming people. Andy was a wonderful role model for many of us as an academic and person of faith. We extend our condolences to all the family. May he rest in eternal and blessed peace.
I was fortunate enough to be one of Dr. Burghardt’s students at McMaster. Because I was a music major, Dr. Burghardt gave me the area of Bayreuth, Bavaria, home of the Wagner music festival for my major cartography project. I enjoyed his lectures and have retained a life-long love of geography and travel. Thank you, Dr. Burghardt. Condolences to the family of this fine, fine gentleman.
So sad to be writing three years after your dad’s passing, but I just read about it now. Sending hugs to your mom, Mary-Ann, Paul, Margaret, Madeline and Barbara.