Susan Burke

Susan Burke was hired as curator by the Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation in 1979 to oversee the restoration and development of Joseph Schneider Haus in Kitchener.

In addition to the meticulous restoration and documentation of the process, Burke researched and developed the historic landscape of the Schneider homestead and several domestic outbuildings. She curated numerous exhibits about aspects of Waterloo County history and folk traditions. In 1985, Burke was instrumental in the acquisition of the Canadian Harvest Collection, one of the definitive collections of Pennsylvania- German folk and decorative arts in Canada. Schneider Haus was declared a National Historic Site in 2000 by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

In 1992 Burke with Matthew Hill co-authored the book From Pennsylvania to Waterloo, exploring the material and folk culture of the Pennsylvania-Germans. To mark the 25th anniversary of the house in 2008, Burke authored This Old Haus: A Place in Time, detailing the restoration of the house and property and its development into a community museum.

When McDougall Cottage in Cambridge was acquired by the Region of Waterloo in 2001, Burke was appointed Manager/Curator to develop the interpretive plan for this historic site, showcasing the Scottish heritage of the region.

Burke encouraged the formation of the Joseph Schneider Haus Folk Artist-in-Residence program, the Edna Staebler Research Fellowship, the Heart and Hand Festival of Traditional Arts, and the McDougall Cottage Musician-in-Residence program, all of which have enriched the cultural landscape in Waterloo Region.

Burke has been recognized by her peers in the museum field, receiving an award for outstanding achievement in 1989 from the Ontario Museum Association. In 2007, she received an Honourary Doctor of Letters from Wilfrid Laurier University and in 2013, a Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Photograph courtesy of the Waterloo Region Record/Peter Lee.