James A. Burke, age 97, passed away peacefully on December 14, 2019, at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.
Jim was born in Clarkfield, Minnesota, on October 23, 1922. After being raised as a farm boy who never learned to swim, he had a thirty-year active-duty career as a United States Navy officer, graduating in 1946 from the United States Naval Academy (Class of ’47). He retired as a captain. He started his career as a line officer on the destroyers USS Rowan and Roanoke, attended the Naval Postgraduate School, and served in Engineering Duty Officer assignments in California (4), Washington, Japan, Hawaii, Illinois, Virginia, and New Jersey. After retiring from the military, he built one of the first homes in Kala Point in Port Townsend, Washington, where he lived for 42 years. Jim was a strong quiet man with a dry sense of humor and strong opinions who studied all sides of an issue. He made things grow wherever he lived, loved to entertain, made fantastic pies, and gave the best hugs ever. He was a Gentleman.
Jim is survived by his three daughters, Susan Hipp (Spencer), Barbara White (Charles), Nancy Johnson (Ed), 6 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by Margaret, his wife of 36 years, and Toni, his wife of 22 years. His special friend Barbara MacLean passed away two weeks after his death.
The family will be celebrating his life and legacy at a later date this summer in Port Townsend. They will be remembering his love and sharing their Burke Family memories.
He will be in our hearts forever.
