William Peter Burke III

William, or Will as he was liked to be called by his friends and family, was born on Wednesday, February 20, 1991 in Great Neck, New York, to Doris Marie Chassereau Burke and William Peter Burke. Will proved to be an outgoing child from the beginning. That’s when his love for learning began. He enjoyed school at an early age and was very involved in school activities. He and his family later moved from New York to Apple Valley, California. In middle school, William played the part of Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks in the musical Annie. He even shaved his head for the part! He later starred in the play Oklahoma. His inner-star unleashed while working on his acting roles throughout school.

He and his family then moved to Brussels, Belgium, where he attended and graduated from The International School of Brussels. After high school, William and his family moved back to the states. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology while attending Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was also a member of the honor society. Will loved Boston and always talked about his time and experience there. Will and his mother then drove across the country to Phoenix, Arizona, where he decided to reside with his Dad. While looking for work, he was hired to create a quality assurance lab to calibrate medical products.

His fondness for this type of work drove his desire to pursue a degree from Arizona State University in Bio Medical Diagnostics. He met his fiancée Megan Revet, who thought he would be destined to become a doctor or pharmacist. At this point in his life, he knew he wanted to help people. He committed himself to becoming a pharmacist at Midwestern University, working endlessly and earning a 98th percentile on the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy exam. His colleagues and professors had a deep admiration for his focus and research into the art of helping people heal. He finished his studies and was working on his rotations when his life unexpectedly and tragically ended.

In addition to his academic accomplishments, he loved animals and developed an interest in reptiles. Will loved all animals. Dogs in his life were Spot, Sebastian, and his current dog Baxter, an Italian Bichon Bolognese known as Pluto, Baxter and Einstein, a genius just like him! He maintains a menagerie consisting of lizards, scorpions, bearded dragon, tegu, and a crested gecko. Will’s first love was marine biology while spending a week at Sea World camp.

Will was an avid outdoors person, who enjoyed mountain biking and hiking, or just pitching a tent in Sedona at a creek. The simple things in life he enjoyed the most. He was a competitive person who thrived in many sporting fields such as biking, basketball and football. He always gave 110% didn’t like to lose! He entered into a triathlon and finished the race, an amazing accomplishment as he had endured a leg fracture while competing in high school football.

From the time he spent in Belgium where he lived for two years he got the travel bug. He loved to travel and meet people from different parts of the world. His favorite cities were Berlin, Madrid, Amsterdam, and Ibiza, He travelled across the United states cross country, with his Mom, and loved the beaches in California. William was a lover of culture.

Will filled up two lifetimes in his twenty nine years of living. His laughter was contagious and his smile was like the stars. His love of family was immense, and he cared deeply for those in need of his time and affection. He will be deeply missed by everyone that came into his life and his bright light will shine on forever in our hearts.

Will is survived by his father William P. Burke, his mother Doris C. Burke, brother Andrew Burke, Fiancé Megan Revet, and baby girl Audrey Ann Burke.