Eulogy for our Dad

Edward Arthur Burke

November 4, 1926 - August 20, 2008

August 25, 2008 Our Lady of Fatima Church , Worcester, Ma.

After I gave this eulogy, a friend asked me if it was hard to write and hard to say at the funeral.  I can honestly say it was not, I wanted to somehow capture the spirit of my dad so that those who did not know him well would understand him....and those that did... would smile remembering the man he was........



On behalf of my mother and my entire family, first and foremost I would like to thank you all for your love and support.


I have to start this eulogy off by saying our Dad, Ed Burke, would love this!!! He would get that half bent smile on his face and say, "did you see all of the people???...they loved me"!!!"   Then he would get that big grin...and he would only be half kidding.


And who didn't love our Dad? When Ed Burke came in a room, he came into a room.....big smile, bigger hello. A warmth surrounded Dad that was so real, people loved him from the start... and the loved him for life.


Many of you experienced a visit to 69 Prospect St, and most of you thought you were stopping in just for a minute.....but a few beers, cups of tea, highballs, crackers, cheese, meatballs, chips, bowls of his soup later...you realized it had been hours. There was always a welcome mat at the door. As kids, and even as adults, the six of us would wonder if our friends were coming to see us ...OR our Mom and Dad!!! The first time my wife Monica met my parents, they were hosting a big dinner for my nephew Bobby and all of his college friends from Holy Cross...she just pulled up another chair, there was always room. You were guaranteed a great time.


And Ed Burke could cook!!!! Our dad could take some leftover roast beef, an onion, some noodles and prepare a feast for all. His meatballs, turkey stuffing and homemade Italian sausage recipes have all been handed down, but no matter how hard any of us try...it never tastes quite the same.


While Ed Burke was humble, he was never shy!! Ask him to sing and he would take the stage. There was a magic in his voice and harmony that made you want to sing along with him. Last month was the last time the six of us were together with our Mom and Dad. We spent the afternoon on the deck singing and laughing. Although Dad was not feeling well at all, he was singing the loudest. For those of you around in the younger years, there was no better place to go to a party than 69 Prospect St. There you would see our mom and dad, their aunts and uncles, their cousins and friends. Alll of them would be singing their hearts out, piano playing, until the late ...(and I mean late) hours of the morning. Every celebration for each of us was just that....a celebration!!!! Hearing my father sing "I'll take you home again Kathleen" or him and my mom singing "When your old wedding ring was new" is a memory deeply embedded in our minds. At the end of a visit or party as we left, he would always say "be good"!!!


As a father, he had some very basic rules whether you were 2 or 92 years old....respect your mother, respect each other, respect your home, respect yourself, respect your name....everything kind of spun off from that. Our father was the first person you went to when things went wrong, he had a keen way of not making you feel alone with your worries. Dad hated injustice, in particular if it happened to someone he loved...and there was truly nobody better to have on your side.
Llikewise, he was the first you would go to with great news, and he cheered right along with you. Every sacrament, show, wedding or event was special just because he was a part of it and made it that way. Our parents loved going to their grandchildren's sporting events, miraculously the next generation gained the athletic gene that skipped the six of us.


For years I thought the boys in my family were all named Richiejimmyeddie...and he always called my sisters, who he loved so much, by their full names ...Kathleen, Maureen, Eileen.



With all of the love, all of the care he had for the six of us and our families...the very best of his love was given to our Mom. Raising a family of six kids I am sure had its challenges as husband and wife...and like us all some days were difficult.

 BUT...Kay and Ed were a team... indivisible, strong and together. He cared for our Mom like no other. Over the last year, as sick as he was, he would always ask..."How is your mother"? He worried more about her than himself. No person loved Kay Burke like Ed Burke, they had a wonderful 60 years together.


Somewhere in heaven right now, I know there is a big kitchen and in it, a huge table. Around that table is Grammy, Aunt Tootsie, Aunt Irene, Aunt Isabel, Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Leo, Uncle John, Mr Campbell, Mrs Gaucher, the Galvins, Mr. Lewandowski, Mr Mara, Aunt Mary Gould, Pat Pine, his brothers Bill , Jack and Bob and sister Eileen, Jack and Josie Doran...and so many others that made our fathers life so full and so wonderful.


And at the head of that table, now sits Ed Burke with a pack of Lucky Strikes in his pocket, a scotch in his hand, those twinkling eyes, that same half bent smile..that big hello. I imagine they are singing, perhaps "Mic McGilligans Ball", celebrating, laughing and eating his great food. ......


.....and when the day comes that each of us join him, don't worry, just pull up a chair....at Ed Burke's table there is always room for one more!!!


Bye for now Dad, we love you and we miss you...

Oh, and one more thing..."be Good"