Remembering Bonnie Burnard, BA'67

By Marcia Steyaert, BA'96

Bonnie B

The Western community mourns the loss of award-winning author, alumna and former Writer-in-Residence, Bonnie Burnard, BA'67. She passed away on March 4, 2017 at the age of 72.

Born in Petrolia, Ontario in 1945, Burnard won several awards for her literary work, including the prestigious Scotiabank Giller Prize in 1999 for her first novel, A Good House, about an Ontario family living through post-Second World War. Her first individual short story collection Women of Influence received the Commonwealth Best First Book Award in 1989. In 1994, her second short story collection Casino & Other Stories won "Book of the Year" at the Saskatchewan Book Awards; was shortlisted for "Regina Book Award"; won the the Periodical Publishers Award; and was shortlisted for the Giller Prize. In 1995, Burnard was awarded the Marian Engel Award given to the body of work by a female Canadian writer in 1995.

A celebration of Burnard's life will be held at Westview Chapel in London, Ontario on March 10 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Read more about Burnard:

Accomplished London author based her fiction on her Southwestern Ontario roots
The London Free Press

Bonnie Burnard, Giller Prize-winning author, dies at 72
The Globe and Mail

Bonnie Burnard, award-winning Canadian author, dies at 72
Toronto Star

Author Bonnie Burnard, Giller Prize winner, dead at 72
CBC News