Patrick Burke

On March 17, 2020 Patrick P. Burke passed away peacefully surrounded by family after a short and hard-fought battle with metastatic melanoma. Born on January 23, 1964 in Buffalo, NY to Fred and Mary (Rodgers) Burke, Patrick was the second of five siblings. He received his B.A. in music education from the University of Tennessee in 1987. After graduation and spending one year teaching band in Raleigh, NC, Patrick accepted a position in Virginia at Hayfield Secondary School. During his 31 year tenure at Hayfield he directed middle and high school bands, fostering a community of smart, funny, and on-time students. He taught at Hayfield for the remainder of his career before retiring in June of 2019. On November 27, 1993, Patrick married his best friend Karen, together they raised two amazing children, Keelin and Mitchell. Patrick loved family, friends, food, and travel. In his short retirement he discovered a passion for photography and was learning to cook, taking over the kitchen duties from Karen. He was known for his kindness, quick wit and unfailing support for his students and colleagues. Patrick will be forever remembered by his wife and best friend of 27 years, Karen and their children, Keelin (Bradley), Mitchell and by his extensive family and dear friends. A memorial service will be arranged at a later date.