Apex community saddened by death of co-owner

PENTICTON – One of the most popular and highly respected residents in the village at Apex Mountain Resort died this week. Resort co-owner Louise Burgart, 68, died of a suspected heart attack on Sunday, Jan. 25.

When Burgart hadn't been seen for a few days an Apex staff member, sent to check on her, found her body in her unit in the ski area’s administration building.

“It’s a big shock. She was a very fit, healthy person who ate right, hardly drank and lived life right,” Apex General Manager James Shalman says. “She lived at Apex for four months of the year and was fully involved in the Apex lifestyle.”

Burgart, who joined the Apex community in 1997, was well known for her efforts to make international staff feel at home, preparing pot luck dinners for them over Christmas, in addition to providing general support all around.

“Every person who talked to Louise had nothing but good things about her. She was a real amazing lady,” Shalman says.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, Feb. 1 for in Fort St. James where Burgart spent her summers.

A celebration of life service, including a torchlight parade, will be held at Apex Mountain Resort on Feb. 7 starting at 8 p.m.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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