The last surviving member of her childhood family, Jonnie graduated from St. Mary Catholic School and Convent of Mercy High School. Small in stature but overflowing with adventurism, she joined the Navy during WWII at age 19, without her parents’ permission. She knew they would eventually accept the idea after their shock subsided. Jonnie prayed that her military appointment would be that of anything but a cook. She lucked out and was sent to work in an office in Manhattan until the end of the war.
Jonnie met Gerald on a blind date (even though they had grown up around the corner from each other); they were married on April 22, 1950. She will be remembered forever as a fun mother and grandmother and a merciless bridge player. She was the Queen of garage sales and prided herself on being able to fit furniture of any size into her Toyota Camry. Jonnie took nothing in life too seriously. She maintained her disdain for cooking throughout life; yet, every evening she cooked dinner for as long as someone lived with her in her home. After Gerald passed away in 1997, she survived happily on wine, Cheez-Its and chocolate for the remainder of her 95+ years. Although cooking was never her thing, she was known to have kept an impeccably clean home, even while raising six children.
Jonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Augustus H. Flinn and Harriett Petersen Flinn; her husband, Gerald W. Burke; her infant firstborn, Mary Lynn Burke; her sisters, Nathalie Gallagher, Harriett Fabre, Eleanor Hayes, Mary Austin Flinn and Marion Bancroft Flinn; her brothers, Augustus Flinn, Jr., and Robert Flinn. She is survived by her children, Jerry Burke (Brien), Elaine Dunnam (Mike, deceased), Tricia Langan (Tom), Julie Bellcase (Rob Howell), Carol Moore (Joe), and Tom Burke (Renee); 12 grandchildren, Jennifer LeCoq (Joe), Lisa Turbeville (Matt), Leigh Ankersen (Jeremy), Michael Dunnam (Angie), Shannon Langan, Deron Bellcase (Lindsey), Sara Bellcase, Haley Hill (Gordon), Emily Moore, Burke Moore, Jordan Burke, and Lucas Burke; and 9 great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Catholic Charities in Jonnie’s name.
