Alma Loretta (Smith) Burke, 96, formerly of Gladstone, MO, passed away peacefully Saturday, February 25, 2017, at New Mark Care Center in Kansas City, MO, where she received wonderful care for 4 years. Born August 23, 1920, on Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, KS to Claiborne Frederick and Mary Trocha Smith, Alma graduated from Wyandotte High School and was an executive secretary for many years with Folgers Coffee, John Deere, and Hershey’s. She married her late husband, James E. Burke, in 1958 and moved to Gladstone. A longtime member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, she was a Den Mother with the Cub Scouts and in retirement volunteered for the Nearly New Shop and Northland Christmas Store. Alma also enjoyed her crafts including quilling and tole painting. Her holiday pomanders and crinkle cookies will be missed. Alma was preceded in death by her husband James; her parents; her sister, Anna Marie Williams; and infant brother, Frederick. Survivors include her sons, Thomas Frederick Burke of Kansas City, MO and David Michael Burke of Centreville, VA; grandson Joshua Andrew Burke and fianceé Shannon Mosley of Fairfax, VA; nephew, Alfred Williams (Cathy) of Excelsior Springs, MO, and nieces, Marvalee Mansell (Don) of Kearney, MO and Shirley Brening (Jeff) of Kansas City, MO.
