Barbara S. Burke

Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Barbara S. Burke, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

Barbara was born on October 17, 1952 at Putnam County Hospital in Greencastle, Indiana. She was the daughter of Cloyd and Alberta Boswell. Raised in Greencastle, Indiana, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Barbara was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Barbara was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Barbara was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Barbara also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Barbara was raised with two siblings. She had two younger brothers, David and Mark. Barbara was constantly involved in activities with her family. Barbara and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Barbara was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Barbara was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Barbara was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Barbara took part in a number of activities as a child. She took part in roller- skating. In her spare time she liked to sew. Barbara's memorable achievements included working at A&W and buying her first vehicle.

Barbara enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Barbara was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Barbara was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Oroville High School in 1971. Barbara enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was home economics. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Mrs. Holland. She always wanted excellent grades.

Most folks would say that Barbara was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Barbara was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Barbara best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Barbara kept. While growing up, one of her best friends was Ella Richter. Later in life, she became friends with her husband, John Burke.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Barbara. On December 23, 1974 Barbara married John Cole Burke, Jr. at Scotts Christian Center, Oroville, California of Oroville, California. She was totally committed to John and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Barbara naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Barbara disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Barbara was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Barbara was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Barbara was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Barbara was blessed with two children, two daughters, Heather and Wendy. They were also blessed with four grandchildren, Rilee, Mike Jr., John Ryan, and Lillian.

If you gave Barbara a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Barbara was always on task. Without hesitation, Barbara could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was Administrative Assistant. She was employed as a secretary for twenty-five years. During that time, Barbara excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Barbara was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Barbara had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Barbara liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Barbara's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Barbara preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were crocheting. Barbara was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Barbara often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. In high school, Barbara played volleyball.

Barbara was active in the community. She was practical and grounded and based her decisions on first hand experience. She was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Politically, Barbara was a democrat.

An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, her faith was important to Barbara. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She was a member of the Church of Christ for eighteen years.

Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Barbara. She never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given her for her many and varied efforts throughout her life were well deserved. Some of her most prestigious awards included "Excellence On the Job".

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Barbara had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included "on the coast vacations".

Barbara had Yakki, a siamese cat, who was her best friend for ten years. Her family was rounded out by her puppy. Barbara was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

When Barbara's retirement finally arrived in 2003, she was well prepared. She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. Her new life involved relocating to Redding, California. Even in retirement, Barbara continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.

Barbara passed away on November 5, 2012 at at her residence. She fought a brave battle with congestive heart failure, diabetes, and on-going health problems. She is survived by her husband, John Burke; two daughters, Heather and Wendy; her four grandchildren, Rilee, Mike Jr., John Ryan, and Lillian; and two son-in-laws, Jim and Mike. A Celebration of Life was held in Chico, California.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Barbara was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Barbara was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Barbara Burke was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Barbara. She will be missed.