‘He was an inspiration’: Canada’s oldest known person Burdett ‘Burd’ Sisler dead at 110

Burdett "Burd" Thomas Sisler, centre, a 110-year-old-veteran who served during the Second World War, is seen at his birthday party at a Royal Canadian Legion in Fort Erie, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Alex Heidbuechel, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

The oldest known living Canadian and one of the oldest Second World War veterans in the world, Burdett “Burd” Sisler has died at the age of 110, a statement from Gov. Gen. Mary Simon said Saturday.

In the statement posted on social media, Simon added that she was “saddened” to learn of his passing.

Born in 1915, Sisler was a Toronto native who served as a radar technician during the Second World War with the Canadian Armed Forces.

Later, he continued to work for the Canada Border Services Agency for three decades after the war ended.

Sisler, who was also a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal, was described by Simon as 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,” she said.

Sisler’s son, Norm Sisler, who is a retired firefighter announced the veteran’s passing with a host of nostalgic images in a post on social media.

“He was an inspiration to all of us and the country as he became the oldest person in Canada and kept us all young,” Norm Sisler wrote. “Incredible man, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather who was always glad to see us. He loved life to the fullest and lived life to the fullest.”

The Central Firefighters’ Association also paid tribute to the Second World War veteran in a post on social media.