Barbara Ann Burke

Barbara Ann Burke died on April 4, 2022 with loving family members by her side. Funeral services will be held at noon Thursday, April 21 at St. Paul Chong Hasang Catholic Church in Harker Heights. A 3:00 p.m. burial service will follow at Central Texas Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday April 20 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at St. Paul Chong Hasang Catholic Church, with the rosary starting at 7:30 p.m.

Barbara was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 9, 1937 to James and Margaret Hunt. She proudly received her degree from Loyola University Chicago in 1963. During her studies, she took summer courses in Hawaii where she met her husband Richard A. “Dick” Burke. Barbara and Dick shared a union of both love and service to others for more that 55 years. They stressed the importance of faith and family while raising seven children.

At every duty station, Barbara immersed herself in programs to better the community she lived in. A lifelong educator, Barbara taught in the public school system, at a federal prison, and within her local parishes as both a youth educator and an adult instructor for those interested in joining the Catholic Church. After retiring from Killeen ISD as a middle school teacher, she worked as a librarian at St. Joseph’s Catholic School. She was actively involved in both religious and community organizations to include the Ladies of Charity, board member of the Killeen Food Care Center, and the Killeen Noon Lions Club.

Later in life Barbara partnered with her husband and children to form Burke Hunt Enterprises, which included Creative Concrete Coatings, The Garage Door Company of Texas, Log Cabin Learning Academy and Trooper Signs. These businesses extended Barbara’s opportunity to impact individuals with her kindness and loving ways.

Barbara opened her heart and home to every person she met, she cared for others with no expectation of something in return and was never boastful about her actions. She was the embodiment of Micah 6:8, her favorite scripture:“This is what the Lord asks of you, only this; to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with your God.”

Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, husband Dick, and siblings Jim and Margie Hunt. She is survived by children James and wife Gloria of N. Richardson; Danny and wife Vicki Fulbright of Durango, CO; Kevin and wife Dora of Atlanta, GA; Kathleen and husband Barry Gormley of Harker Heights, Tx; Patrick of Dallas, TX; Maureen and husband Felix Montez of Killeen, TX; and Erin and Mark Kretzmeier of Portland, Oregon; 17 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at http://fightcf.cff.org/goto/barbaraburke or by mailing a check to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 3316 Bee Caves Road #A-1 West, Lake Hills, TX 78746

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.crawfordbowersfuneralhome.com for the Burke family.