Donald John Burke

Donald John Burke, 92, of Pompano Beach, Florida, passed away on January 4, 2024. Born on July 28, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts, Donald was the son of William (Bill) Burke and Wilma Wasson. At the age of twelve, Donald moved with his family to Chipman, New Brunswick, Canada.

Donald had a remarkable career that spanned various fields. After graduating from high school in Chipman, he attended Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where he received the Ingram Oakes Entrance Scholarship. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree and an L.L.B. degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Donald practiced law for six years with a law firm in Regina, Saskatchewan.

During his time in Regina, Donald was an active member of the First Baptist Church. He served as a deacon and Chairman of Evangelism in the local association. In 1959, he made the decision to serve God full-time and was licensed by the First Baptist Church. He then attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to prepare for a ministry in the gospel. While in seminary, Donald served as the pastor of the Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church in southern Indiana, where the small rural congregation grew by one-third under his leadership.

In 1962, Donald received his Bachelor of Divinity degree and became the pastor of a congregation in Edmonton, Alberta. The church experienced impressive growth, and by 1964, it was recognized in The Canadian Baptist for its significant increase in attendance and the number of young men entering the ministry. Donald continued his ministry in Toronto as the pastor of Blythwood Road Baptist Church.

Donald's dedication to his faith led him to pursue further studies. In 1969, he was awarded a Merrill Fellowship at Harvard Divinity School, where he engaged in graduate study. He also completed an updating course at Southern Seminary and received a Master of Divinity degree. Throughout his career, Donald was in high demand as a speaker and worked well with both older and younger people. He served as the president of the Baptist Youth Fellowship of Western Canada and was involved in various dialogues between different denominations.

In 1970, Donald received a call to become the pastor of Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky and upon acceptance he devoted his time and energy to bring the church alive. During his time at Highland he designed and replaced all the aging stained glass windows and also had a beautiful pipe organ installed. The baptistry was renovated and other building decor was revamped. Donald ministered in Highland for 11 years and in his later years, the ministry team at Highland Baptist Church show their appreciation of Donald's ministry among them by honoring him with the title of Pastor Emeritus.

In addition to his pastoral work, Donald was actively involved in community service. He participated in a television program called "The Moral State of the News" and served on several boards, including the national Roman Catholic-Baptist dialogue and Greek Orthodox-Baptist dialogue. He was appointed as an observer on the National Council of Churches by the Southern Baptist Convention. Donald also led groups of Baptists on tours overseas and had a summer pastorate to a Japanese congregation on the Island of Maui.

Upon returning to Canada, Donald became a pastor at Greenwood Drive Baptist Church in Fredericton. Even after officially retiring from the church, he continued to serve as an interim minister in various locations, including Fredericton Junction, Tracy, Hanwell, Lewisville, Minto, Moncton, and First Baptist Calgary.

Donald's dedication to his home church, Second Chipman United Baptist Church, was evident as he became the Interim Pastor in 1998. He had been actively involved in the church since his childhood.

Donald Burke leaves behind a legacy of faith, service, and dedication. He will be remembered for his love of God, his contributions to the community, and his unwavering commitment to his calling. Donald's memory will be cherished by his relatives in Chipman and surrounding areas, as well as by all those whose lives he touched throughout his remarkable life.