HomeMy WebLinkAbout409"Information compiled by PPL staff for display of ""PICKERING PEOPLE"" c 2000.
Louise Richardson Rorke
Illustrations:
- Elizabeth Richardson Rorke and daughters Jessi Rorke (center) and Louise Richardson Rorke.
- The cottage, Innisfree, in the 1920s.
Louise Richardson Rorke
Following a lengthy illness dating back to March of this year, Miss Louise Rorke passed away at
her home here on Saturday morning last.
Born in Thornbury, the daughter of the late George and Elizabeth Richardson Rorke, she and her
sister, Miss Jessie Rorke, came to Pickering from Toronto some years ago, building the
comfortable home in the north-east section of our village. The late Louise Rorke attended the
Thornbury Collegiate, and the Hamilton Normal School, and taught in the Norwich and the
Thornbury public schools. She later joined the staff of the Canadian Teacher, of which she later
became editor, retiring from that post in 1945.
Miss Rorke was probably better known as the author of the very popular youth novel ""Lefty""
and the following ""Sugar Shanty"" and ""Lefty's Adventure"". Her last novel was due to appear
this fall.
She was an active member of the Toronto Women's Press Club, and has been a regular
contributor to the Canadian Countryman, and editor of the Friends' magazine
""Canadian Friend"".
During her life in Pickering Miss Rorke took an active interest and part in many of the local
activities: a Past President of the Women's Club, a member of the Women's Institute,
a member of the United Church W. A., and W. M. S. and taught a young women's class in the
United Church Sunday school, and took an interest in all public life of our village.
She is survived by her only sister. A private service took place at the home on Monday evening,
with interment at Thornbury on Tuesday. Louise Rorke will be very much missed by all ages in
Pickering, and the sympathy of their many friends here is expressed to Miss Jessie Rorke,
and to Miss Edith Murray, who has spent many years with the Misses Rorke.
Rorke, Louise Richardson (d. 1949), writer of books for children, was born at Thornbury,
Ontario, and died at Pickering, Ontario, on July 23, 1949. She became a school-teacher;
but joined the staff of The Canadian Teacher, and was its editor for many years before her
retirement in 1945. She was the author of Lefty: The story of a boy and a dog (Toronto, 1931),
which went into several editions, Sugar Shanty (New York, 1941), and Lefty's adventures
(Toronto, 1945).
[Toronto Globe and Mails July 24, 1949.]
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