William Alexander Burke

August 31, 1933 – December 20, 2024

William (“Bill”) Alexander Burke, age 91, passed away peacefully on December 20, 2024, in Englewood, Florida. Bill was born on August 31, 1933, in Waterville, Maine to Rose (Lubier) and William Burke. He is predeceased by his parents, his brother, five sisters and their spouses.

Bill attended Winslow High School, and after graduating, served in the Navy during the Korean War. While in high school, Bill met Irene Perry of Waterville, Maine, and they married in 1954. Following an honorable discharge, Bill attended the University of Maine at Orono, making his mark as a star pitcher on the baseball team. Red Sox baseball was a lifelong passion for Bill, along with all Boston sports teams. Bill and Irene had three daughters while living in Orono.

The family lived in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Marblehead, Massachusetts, eventually settling in Byfield, Massachusetts in 1965, where their son was born. Bill worked for Banker’s Life Insurance Company in Boston and later for Sun Life. The family spent summers in New Hampshire on Merrymeeting Lake, then on Lake Winnipesaukee. Bill was actively involved in tennis in Newburyport, Massachusetts and Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. In the mid 1980’s, Bill and Irene moved to Rye, New Hampshire.

Bill and Irene owned a travel agency in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, in the mid 1980’s and early 1990’s. They were thrilled to provide group tours and to travel all over the world.

In 1994, Bill and Irene moved to Englewood, Florida, to live during the winter, and returned every summer to Lake Winnipesaukee. They loved getting together with family and friends at the lake and continued to play tennis daily.

Bill is survived by his wife of 70 years, Irene, and children, Nancy (John), Janet, Donna, and Michael (Denise); grandchildren, Heidi (Matt), Kelly, Eric (Mary Ann), Julianne (Jim), Kaylie (Michael), Caitlin (Byron), Aidan (Taylor), Kristin (Andrew) and Kelly, and great grandchildren, Alice, Adeline, Andrew, Owen, Emily, Mitchell, Jeffrey, Rory, and Tatum, and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at the VA cemetery in Augusta, Maine, in the Spring/Summer of 2025.