John Joseph "Mike" Burke Jr.

Mr. Burke passed away on September 11, 2011 in Tyler after a long and courageous battle against cancer.

He was born on November 5, 1942 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to the late John Joseph Burke Sr. and Helen Mosier Burke. He was the first curator for the Historical Aviation Memorial Museum in Tyler. He was a Catholic and served in the 45th Thunderbird Division of the Oklahoma National Guard at Fort Ord during the Cuban missile crisis.

He was preceded in death by his parents and nephew, Robbie Martin and aunt, Claudia Epstein.

He is survived by his daughter, Molly Kirkpatrick of Greenville, Wisconsin; son, Jeffrey J. Burke of Aurora, Illinois; sisters, Beverly Martin of Newman, Georgia and Rita Rogers of Sallisaw, Oklahoma; brothers, Pat Burke of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Bob Burke of Choctaw, Oklahoma; granddaughters, Ella and Emerson Burke of Aurora, Illinois; aunts. Frances Mosier of Dallas, Texas and Mary Brant of Ponca City, Oklahoma; cousin, Marilyn Trollinger of Tyler, Texas and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum, 150 Airport Drive, Tyler, Texas, 75704.