James Edward Burke

James “Jim” Edward Burke, 85, passed away Saturday, February 22, 2020 at Riverside Community Hospital, California. Jim was born February 26, 1934 to Erwin & Alice (Kelly) Burke in New Hampton, Iowa, the oldest of five children. He graduated from New Hampton High School in 1953. He worked for 3 years with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and 2 1/2 years at Supersweet Co-Op. Jim secured a job with Darigold Incorporated and moved to California in July 1963. He met his beautiful bride and wife of 34 years, Mary Lee Rausch, through the Gabrielite club and they were later married in San Gabriel, California on February 13, 1965. They lived in South Pasadena and attended Holy Family church until moving to Alhambra in the Fall of 1972. Jim joined the Knights of Columbus in 1974 at St. Thomas Moore (STM). Jim went through the chairs in Alhambra Counsel #2431 cultivating in stepping up serving as Grand Knight in 1991-1992. He was very active in the church as an Usher, Lector and Eucharistic minister in addition to hosting coffee and donuts on many Sundays with his family at STM. He enjoyed the outdoors, camping, hiking, fishing, biking and traveling. He instilled in his daughters the love of travel and getting away to the peace and quiet of the woods. He loved ice cream and all the neighborhood kids knew the Burke chest freezer was full of Darigold novelties. In the summer of 1996, a few years after retiring from Darigold they moved to Victorville, CA. They began attending Holy Innocents church and Jim continued to be active with the Knights of Columbus with Council #11881. Jim was a Knight for 46 years and received his 4th Degree in February 2001. He is preceded in death by his parents Erwin and Alice Burke, wife Mary Lee Burke, sister Elaine Tilkes, brother-in-law Sylvester Wegner, and brother-in-law Leonard Rosonke. He is survived by his loving daughters, Kelly Estelle Kramer (Stephen), Laura Ann Urquiza, and Mary Beth Breyfogle (David), 7 grandchildren James Rocha (Gabby), Katie Kramer, Lauren Samano, Valerie Samano, Vanessa Samano, Erin Kramer, and Daniel Breyfogle, 2 great-grandchildren, Brooklyn Samano and Nicholas Samano, 3 sisters, Mary Wegner, Doris Ries (Cletus), Norma Rosonke, brother-in-law Greg Tilkes.

Due to the season of Lent, in place of flowers, donations may be made in memory of James E. Burke to Holy Innocents Catholic Church. Services will be held at Holy Innocents Catholic Church, 13230 El Evado Road in Victorville, CA starting at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2020.