On April 16, 2108, James William Burke, beloved husband of 42 years to Carol Burke; devoted father of Amy Pafel and her husband Buzz, and Kevin Burke; cherished brother of Kathy Burke and her husband John DeBlassio, Mike Burke and his wife Pat, Joe Burke and his wife Kappy, Mercedes Kochara and her husband Tom, and the late Patrick Burke and his late wife Louise; dear uncle of Mary Elizabeth, John, Kathleen and David Burke, and Ben, Sam Fahey Burke, and Maria and Brian Kochara. James graduated from St. Francis University in 1971, and later earned his master’s degree from Towson University in Education. He was a Science and Math teacher for Harford County Public Schools for 45 years. He was an intercollegiate all-star baseball player and lifelong sports enthusiast. He also served as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Margaret’s Church. In addition, after retirement he continued his dedication to teaching at Sylvan Learning Center and substituting for Harford County Schools.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather at Schimunek Funeral Home, 610 W. MacPhail Road, Bel Air, on Friday from 3- 7 pm, where a memorial service will be held at 7 pm. In honor of his brothers, contributions may be made to the National Hemophilia Foundation, 7 Penn Plaza, Suite 1204, New York, NY 10001.
Online tributes at www.schimunekfuneralhomes.com