George Francis Burke

GEORGE F. BURKE died peacefully on Monday, August 31st in Punta Gorda, Florida. He was 102 years old, a life lived on a grand scale. George will be remembered as a great husband, father, Pop-Pop, and friend, a wonderful role model to all who knew him. His faith in God and love for our country formed the foundation for the consequential life he built.

The numbers can tell a piece of the story. George and his singular love, Rosemary, were married for 67 wonderful years, raising and loving 11 children, 26 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren. He built a family business, now passed down 3 generations. And of course, this special number - 102 years lived! He survived the Great Depression, briefly owned a horse, served his country in World War II, met Pope John Paul II, Cary Grant, and John Wayne, heard Tarzan yell, danced with Lucille Ball, and navigated the seas. Name any State in the USA - George had a story about “when he was there, and…” George's voice was gentle but steady, in a way that asked you to listen closely – this one was going to be good. Anyone who knows George knows he had thousands of amazing stories – you could listen to them all day long.

1, 11, 24, 26, 67, 102 – but the numbers can’t capture the full picture.

George was born in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey on August 6th, 1924, to Sylvester and Catherine Woods Burke. The Burke family, including siblings Leo, Edward, John, Regina, and Tommy, moved several times during the Great Depression before eventually settling in Youngstown, Ohio. In 1942, George graduated from Ursuline High School (Go Irish!) and joined the war effort shortly afterwards. Like his father before him, he enlisted in the United States Navy. In San Diego, the Navy trained him to be a medic “…because I could type and had chemistry in high school.” (He loved telling this story!) George was assigned to the attack-transport ship USS Beckham, and they ferried troops in and out of the Pacific theater for two years. George saw the world at war – Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Korea, the Philippines, China, and more. At the end of the war, a Japanese 2-man miniature submarine surfaced unexpectedly near a dock where George was standing. The Imperial soldier inside popped out and, in perfect English, asked if the war was over? And if so, did he think he could go back to San Francisco now? George said yes, it was indeed over – and, well, probably not for a little while.

After the war, and armed with many more stories to tell, George came home to Youngstown, Ohio. He had the good sense to notice Rosemary Hanna and invite her to a dance. They married in June 1949 and together built the family that defined so much of their lives. Rosemary created a home wherever his career took them – north, east, south, and north again, but always towards a better life. Together, George and Rosemary built not only a family, but a home that remained the center of their children’s lives for decades. And the children came fast - when a new addition to the already large family was revealed, family lore has it that Grandfather Hanna suggested a name for the child. “Why don’t they call it Quits?” George and Rosemary gracefully accepted his input - and had even more.

George built his successful career as a sales representative in the kitchen and bath industry, first in Ohio and then the Northeast, including a stint based in the Empire State Building. One customer described George as the unlikeliest of salesmen – soft spoken, kind to a fault, trustworthy, and more interested in talking about your family than his product line. What kind of salesmen is that? (A great one.) His rapid job promotions took him to Atlanta, where the family lived for 12 years, and eventually to Detroit, Michigan in 1967. In 1975, George and his eldest son Bob established Burke Agency at the kitchen table, a new manufacturers’ representative business. (“They say never start a business during a recession, but that’s exactly what we did.”) The army of children came in handy, and free kid labor was key in the early days. The new business thrived, bolstered by George’s experience, integrity, and hard work.

After retiring in 1989, George and Rosemary split time between Detroit, Michigan and Punta Gorda, Florida and devoted much of their time to charity and their faith. They became heavily involved with St. Vincent De Paul, where George served on the board well into his 90s - and an honorary board member until he passed. His specialty was fixing up and selling donated cars and boats for charity. Active in both the Michigan and Florida chapters, George’s generosity and his passion for his faith were clear to all who met him. For this child of the Great Depression, there was no more important mission than feeding and clothing the poor, but he helped anyone – everyone, really – to simply move forward.

In the retirement years, George took up painting and, much to Rosemary’s delight, tried his hand at pottery and sculpture. (“George, why does St. Francis have a mustache?”) Today, these items are the family’s most prized possessions. They were never too far from a golf course for Rosemary, and the water for George. His boat in Florida, aptly named “After Eleven”, was forever busy chartering friends and family, and serving as sleeping quarters when too much of the crew dropped in. And while the children and grandchildren spread far and wide across the country, they all made it a point to come back together to spend time with Pop-Pop at “The Cottage”. Once there, Pop-Pop would teach them how to fish. Catching a fish, and the end of a good fish story, came with the same exclamation: “Good God!”

George’s family - and his grandchildren in particular - were his greatest pride. When asked if he could do it all over, go back to 1949 and start again - would he and Rosemary still have 11 children? His answer was always the same – he wouldn’t change a thing.

George was preceded in death by his wife, Rosemary, his son Bob, his grandson Kellen, and his wonderful family in Youngstown – the Burkes – who he missed dearly. He is survived by his children and their spouses: Mary Cay, Christopher (Cynthia), Chuck (Susan), John (Linda), Beth (Bill), Brian (Mary), Dan (Kim), Paul (Cindy), Henry (Tracey), and Bridget (Kevan), his 26 grandchildren, and his 24 great-grandchildren – and by every one of them, he is loved.

“Life is an ocean, love is a boat. In troubled waters it keeps us afloat. When we started this voyage, there was just me and you. Now gathered ‘round us, we have our own crew.” (The Voyage)

On Friday, November 20th, George’s family and friends will gather for visitation at Elton Black & Son Funeral Home, 1233 Union Lake Rd, White Lake, MI 48386 from 3 – 7:00 PM, with a rosary service at 6:30 PM. On Saturday, November 21st, funeral services will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Parish Church, 9086 Hutchins Rd, White Lake, MI. at 10:00 AM. There will be a visitation at the church from 9:00 – 9:45 AM, a eulogy at 9:45 AM, and a funeral mass at 10:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in George’s memory be made to your favorite charity, one that has a special focus on feeding and housing the poor. His favorites include the Society of St. Vincent De Paul - Sacred Heart Conference, 25200 Airport Road, Punta Gorda, FL 33950 (svdppg.org), the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Patrick Church, 9086 Hutchins Rd, White Lake, MI 48386 (stpatrickwhitelake.org), and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen - Development Office 1820 Mount Elliott Street, Detroit, MI 48207 (cskdetroit.org).