‘A true gentleman’: Canada’s oldest man and WWII veteran laid to rest in Fort Erie

“A generous pillar of the community” and “a true gentleman” — that’s how friends and family say they’ll remember Burdett Sisler.

A ceremony of life was held for the 110-year-old Fort Erie man who passed away last week. He was the oldest living Canadian and oldest living Second World War veteran in North America.

Sisler passed away last Wednesday, just two weeks shy of his 111th birthday.

“He had a zest for life,” said Perry Argentino, Sisler’s daughter’s brother-in-law.

Family friend Lesley Kinghorn added, “I think the only way to describe him is he was a true gentleman.”

Bruce Aitken, who worked with Sisler at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), recalled his humble nature. “He never bragged about himself or anything, and he was generally a really good guy.”

Burd — as he was known — was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1915 and moved to Canada in 1918 when he was three years old. He saw two world wars, two global pandemics and two solar eclipses in his lifetime.

Governor General Mary Simon described the supercentenarian in a message about his passing, “Mr. Sisler was a member of the generation that shaped modern Canada, he witnessed profound moments in history while embodying the values of service and perseverance that continue to inspire us all.”

In 1943, Burd joined the Canadian Armed Forces and served as a telecommunications mechanic.

“Remembrance Day is not going to be the same because he was always there selling the poppies. That’s going to be hard,” said family friend Mary Holdsworth.

READ MORE: Canada’s oldest Second World War veteran dies at 110

Members of several local Legions filled the gallery at Burd’s funeral today — including Branch 71, which Burd belonged to.

“He was soft spoken. He could put away food like crazy, I used to laugh,” Kinghorn said. “He was very gentle and just an all around wonderful, wonderful person.”

Kinghorn has been a friend of the family for most of her life. Her dad, Cliff, was good friends with Burd ever since the pair met while singing in a barbershop group in the 1960s.

“They used to meet at fish fry Friday nights at the legion. And trying getting him out of there was like trying to get a couple of five-year-olds out of there. It was always ‘we want five more minutes,’” Kinghorn said.

The ceremony of life lasted around an hour, during which three generations of Burd’s family spoke. His family said they will remember him not for his titles and accolades, but as a loving dad, grandpa, great-grandpa and great-great-grandpa.

“I can’t say enough about how his service, outside of his true service in war, in our community here. I’m thrilled to know him,” Argentino said.

And that was clear when CHCH News attended a celebration marking Burd’s official status as the oldest Canadian last fall.

“I just lived an ordinary life and carried on and did what I had to do, and finished what I started,” Sisler said.

READ MORE: Fort Erie lowers flags to honour death of Canada’s oldest war veteran