Andrée (Dadée) Sabourin Burk, 80, of Oak Woods Road, passed away at her
home of 50 years with her son and daughter by her side on Sunday, April 5, 2020. Her
name was Andrée, but everyone called her Dadée and her granddaughters called her
Néné. She was a dignified lady at all times - full of integrity, grace, positivity,
intelligence, humor, and generosity for all.
Dadée was born in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in the Province of Québec, Canada
on May 25, 1939. She was the middle child of Carmen Rioux Sabourin and Ivan
Sabourin. She grew up with her older sister and best friend, Marthe Sabourin Pascucci
and younger brother Ivan Sabourin Jr, in a beautiful historic manor surrounded by love,
conversation, classical music, opera, piano playing, art, education, travel and many
eccentric moments. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Marianopolis College
in Westmount (Montréal), Québec.
In 1961, she worked in Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, a renown artists community, and
met the love of her life and husband of 54 years, George Burk. Both were artists to the
core and they established their permanent residence in 1967 at Busari Farm, their
country home in North Berwick where they raised their two children, Efram Burk and
Jennica Burk Osborne.
Dadée and George shared a love for their property and nature - they were
frequently seen sitting by their pond counting ducks and geese or listening to the
bullfrogs and peepers. They loved watching the birds (especially cardinals) that they
fed by their kitchen door. Dadée was an avid gardener who added more gardens to her
home, perfectly placing sculptures, granite stones and paths amongst the flowers and
bushes. She enjoyed sitting in her car watching the waves, beach and sky at Wells
Beach or watching the moon rise at Ogunquit Beach with her “moon crew.”
She was a prolific artist known for her realistic portraits and still lifes of flowers,
fruits and vegetables in the medium of graphite and watercolor. Dadée and George
hosted and participated in weekly sketch groups with their artists friends throughout
their lives and most recently she spent her Saturdays with her tightly-knit sketch group
at various homes and the Wentworth Greenhouse.
As an innovator in the field of Adult Education, she founded MSAD 60’s Noble
Adult Education Program in 1981 and acted as its director until she retired in 1999. She
instituted all adult learning programs in our community and was the first to encourage
and champion her students. She was a master at listening to their needs and stories.
Dadée immediately made you feel important and unique. When you were with her, you
felt that she was hosting a morning talk show feeding your soul with goodness and
wisdom with her soothing voice.
Things you may or may not know about Dadée: She was a linguist who spoke
multiple languages and she corrected the grammar of her children, grandchildren and
their friends. She was a devoted and loving grandmother who was frequently seen
driving, painting, chatting or cooking with Katherine and Lizzy. She was always up for a
trip to Italy to be with her beloved sister Marthe and family or to Canada to be with her
cousin Monique and family. She was a “great” driver of big cars and a gracious
hostess, known for her tortière pies, baked ham and quiches. She was highly
observant of others and the world around her; she could find resemblances in
everything, and she could point out how an animal or tree branch was identical to a
certain person. She was happy sitting in her dining room with a fire going, sipping
Prosecco with her son, Efram while listening to Pergolesi. She loved to go to the cove
for a Barnacle Billy’s lobster roll and rum punch topped with a floater. She was a
passionate and well-versed reader, an art and antique collector, and she wore tons of
scarves, sunglasses, jewelry, and perfumes. She loved the color green, marbles of all
colors and sizes, Steven Seagal, Babe, American flags, and wind chimes. She spoke
with her children every day of their lives. She was wise and drama-free. She always
told her family to “be like a duck” and let unimportant things roll off their backs.
She will be deeply missed by her son Efram, daughter Jennica, son-in-law Kevin
Osborne, and two granddaughters, Katherine and Lizzy Osborne of North Berwick, her
sister and brother-in-law Marthe and Michele Pascucci, nephews Filippo and Nicola
Pascucci and niece Luisa De Feo of Italy and her family members and friends in Italy,
Canada and the U.S.
Due to our current situation, a private memorial for family and friends will be held
later. Johnson Funeral Home is assisting the family at this time. Please share your
stories and condolences at www.JohnsonFuneralHomeME.com
In lieu of flowers or donations, we ask you to treat others with the same love,
acceptance, empathy and generosity of spirit that Dadée displayed to others.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Andrée "Dadée" (Sabourin) Burk, please visit our floral store.