Thomas Walker Burke

Thomas Walker Burke passed away peacefully on Thursday, the 31st of August 2017. He will be remembered for his love of, and dedication to family and friends. Tom will live forever, both in the loving arms of his Lord and in the memories of all that knew him and were touched by his kindness, generosity and wisdom. He lived his life thinking about and helping others. To his family and friends, he was treasured for his love and support throughout their lives. To younger people who he watched grow up, he was a role model, mentor and a second father. He inspired others to become their best selves.

Tom was born in Houston, Texas on the 14th of February 1936, to Thomas Walker Burke, Sr. and George Anna Lucas Burke. He attended Houston Lamar High School where he excelled in football, basketball and baseball and played on a talented Lamar football team that won the Texas High School football state championship in 1953 by beating Odessa 33-7 in newly opened Rice stadium.

Tom was a 1959 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He played on several championship Kappa Sigma intramural basketball and football teams, where he earned first team all intramural honors in basketball (1954-1955, 1955-1956 and 1956-1957) and football (1957-1958 and 1958-1959).

During his time at the University of Texas he met and married Patricia Ann Hughs in June 1956. The previous summer, he earned the money to buy her an engagement ring by working on the labor crew that built the Houston Country Club golf course in its present location. He became a member of Houston Country Club in 1963, and is the only member to have actually helped build the Club’s golf course.

Tom began his professional career in the securities brokerage business in the Fall of 1959 at Rotan Mosle, Inc. In 1964, he and several other young Houstonians opened a Houston brokerage office for Dallas-based Schneider, Bernet & Hickman, Inc. with great success. In 1967, he was instrumental in the formation of First of Texas, Inc., which became the first investment banking and brokerage firm that began business from inception with a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. He co-managed the firm’s corporate finance, research and over-the counter trading departments. In 1972, First of Texas was acquired by Dallas-based Rauscher Pierce Refsnes, Inc. and he became part of the executive leadership of the combined company. In 1975, Tom co-founded Deerwood Corporation, a privately-held investment company that made several acquisitions and corporate investments over the years. During that time, he also served on the board of directors of multiple companies in various industries including technology, manufacturing and banking. In addition, on behalf of Docutel Corporation, he advised, structured and arranged the acquisition of Ivrea, Italy-based Olivetti SpA’s US subsidiary in 1980. This transaction, which was unusual because Olivetti’s US subsidiary was significantly larger than Docutel, was profiled in a 1981 article in Forbes magazine.

He was actively involved in the lives of his two sons, and was a mentor and father figure to many of their friends. His impact on all of them was enormous and lasting. Tom coached his sons and their friends in little league baseball and youth football, and he actively supported the junior high school and high school teams on which they participated. While the teams he coached were extraordinarily successful and won many championships, his most important legacy was his emphasis on sportsmanship, courtesy, humility and respect for the opponent.

Tom leaves behind a legion of friends and a loving family that will miss him dearly. He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas W. and George Anna L. Burke. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patricia Hughs Burke; son William Walker Burke and his wife, Ann; son Walter Thomas Burke and his wife, Dana; grandchildren Amanda Burke Bailey and her husband, Geoff; Maggie Burke Daugherty and her husband, Jon; Abigail Burke Henderson and her husband, Logan; Caroline Burke Mossy and her husband, Travis; Thomas Walker Burke III and Walter William Burke; and great-grandson William Walker Bailey. He is also survived by his sister, Maria Burke Butler, and several Butler and Propst family nieces and nephews.

Tom was a member of Allegro and Houston Country Club, where he served as a past member of the board of directors.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to Brenda Whittaker for over 32 years of loving, caring service, and we are especially grateful for all that she has done to care for Tom over the past several years. We also wish to thank Elida Agilar, Rosey Maldonado and Martina Cortes for their wonderful care and assistance.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Wednesday, the 6th of September, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The memorial service is to be conducted at three o’clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 7th of September, at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston, where The Rev. Dr. Russell J. Levenson, Jr., Rector, is to serve as officiant. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent Bagby Parish Hall to honor Tom’s life.

Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests that memorial contributions be directed toward The American Red Cross in support of Hurricane Harvey victims: American Red Cross, Hurricane Harvey Fund, PO Box 37839, Boone, IA, 50037-0839; or to the charity of one’s choice.