Obituary of Helga Burdett
It is with great sadness that we must share the news of our Mother’s passing, on Monday, August 12, 2024, just a few days after we celebrated her 84th birthday on August 8th. She passed just 9 months after the death of her husband, Bob. She is survived by her children, Christina Burdett and Clifford Burdett, as well as three grandchildren - Rafael Alexander Gomez, 27, Jiselle Burdett, 18 and Brandon Burdett, 16. In addition, her sister Gudren Muller and brother Jurgen Zielasko, both residing in Germany today, as well as their children. She was also close with her many in-laws in Canada, including our cousin Linda, and the Mackie family. The list is long of the many people who were friends, including neighbors, and co-workers, who became more like family over the years and my brother and I would like to thank all of you for your support and assistance, and the deep friendships you provided to both our Mother and Father.
My brother Cliff and I would like to invite you to share stories, photos and thoughts here to celebrate her life. We were planning on her being with us longer than what ended up being allowed, and we are still in a bit of shock at the suddenness of her passing. We take comfort in all the calls, wishes and condolences that we have already received, and look forward to reading more here, or perhaps seeing a photo you can share.
Helga was born in Lindenheim Poland during WWII, and often shared her stories of the separation of her parents, with her being taken by her Oma to what would become East Germany to be with her father, Wilhelm, and as a teen fleeing communist East Germany, shortly before the wall was built, to be with her mother Edith in Baden Baden. After a few years, now living in Heidelberg, she met my father, who was serving in the region in the Canadian Air Force. Helga worked in the PX, and once saw Elvis, while he was in the service there. Bob and Helga married, and she returned with him to Canada, to beautiful British Columbia, where she formed close bonds with her mother and father in law, Francis and George Burdett, as well as Bob’s sisters, Shirley and Arleen. After a time, Bob decided to relocate to the states, to the new area in the San Francisco Bay area known as Silicon Valley, as he was pursuing a career in electronics. They lived in Mt. View, Los Altos and later moved to the East Bay to Danville. Helga spent many years in the restaurant business, as a hostess in fine dining restaurants like the Barbarossa in Palo Alto, where she cultivated not just a taste for fine food, and wine, but an appreciation and love of the restaurant service industry, and always recognizing the efforts of waiters, chefs and staff it with a tip. Later, she was an Apartment Manager at the Linden Arms in Sunnyvale, making many friends that became like family.
Finally retiring, she returned to Oroville where Bob was located, and made new friends there of the many people that crossed her path. She loved to meet people from around the world, and had many friends from many different countries. Bob and Helga enjoyed vacationing in Baja California many times, and Helga always visited Germany every few years, visiting relatives and friends like the Otterbach’s in Sekach, and her best friend since high school, Rita Rebholz, in Baden-Baden, who passed a few years ago, as well as connecting with dear friends in Switzerland. She led a full life, loved to talk, loved fine dining, loved to travel and loved all forms of music, one of her favorites being Neil Diamond. She was well known for her Rouladen and German cooking, as well as always bringing back German chocolate and treats to distribute to friends back in California, as well as to her grandkids!
My brother Cliff and I would like to invite you to share stories, photos and thoughts here to celebrate her life. We were planning on her being with us longer than what ended up being allowed, and we are still in a bit of shock at the suddenness of her passing. We take comfort in all the calls, wishes and condolences that we have already received, and look forward to reading more here, or perhaps seeing a photo you can share.
Helga was born in Lindenheim Poland during WWII, and often shared her stories of the separation of her parents, with her being taken by her Oma to what would become East Germany to be with her father, Wilhelm, and as a teen fleeing communist East Germany, shortly before the wall was built, to be with her mother Edith in Baden Baden. After a few years, now living in Heidelberg, she met my father, who was serving in the region in the Canadian Air Force. Helga worked in the PX, and once saw Elvis, while he was in the service there. Bob and Helga married, and she returned with him to Canada, to beautiful British Columbia, where she formed close bonds with her mother and father in law, Francis and George Burdett, as well as Bob’s sisters, Shirley and Arleen. After a time, Bob decided to relocate to the states, to the new area in the San Francisco Bay area known as Silicon Valley, as he was pursuing a career in electronics. They lived in Mt. View, Los Altos and later moved to the East Bay to Danville. Helga spent many years in the restaurant business, as a hostess in fine dining restaurants like the Barbarossa in Palo Alto, where she cultivated not just a taste for fine food, and wine, but an appreciation and love of the restaurant service industry, and always recognizing the efforts of waiters, chefs and staff it with a tip. Later, she was an Apartment Manager at the Linden Arms in Sunnyvale, making many friends that became like family.
Finally retiring, she returned to Oroville where Bob was located, and made new friends there of the many people that crossed her path. She loved to meet people from around the world, and had many friends from many different countries. Bob and Helga enjoyed vacationing in Baja California many times, and Helga always visited Germany every few years, visiting relatives and friends like the Otterbach’s in Sekach, and her best friend since high school, Rita Rebholz, in Baden-Baden, who passed a few years ago, as well as connecting with dear friends in Switzerland. She led a full life, loved to talk, loved fine dining, loved to travel and loved all forms of music, one of her favorites being Neil Diamond. She was well known for her Rouladen and German cooking, as well as always bringing back German chocolate and treats to distribute to friends back in California, as well as to her grandkids!
There is too much for me to write down here, and, again, I look forward to seeing what stories you will share here in her memory.
Thanks to everyone again for all the wishes and thoughts, and feel free to contact me via email at burdett.chris@gmail.com, or find me on Instagram (SeaBirdSeattle) or Facebook.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ramsey Funeral Home 530-534-3877
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