Obituary of Eleanor Burke

Mary Eleanor Connell Burke passed away on January 29, 2009. Beloved wife of Eugene who predeceased her in 1993 after 51 years of marriage. Devoted mother of Eugene Burke, Gregory Burke, Judith Gedroiz and Catherine Lybeck, grandmother of Debbie, Melanie, Patrick, Eric, Sara, Jane, and Gillian, and great grandmother of Nathalie, John Paul, and Edward Victor. Eleanor grew up in Newark, NJ attending Our Lady of Good Counsel School. An apt student, she went on to graduate from the College of St. Elizabeth. Maud, as she was affectionately know, married Eugene Burke in 1942 and began her true life’s work of raising, nurturing, and loving her family. She loyally supported her friends and was known for her generosity, adventurousness, high standards, determination and sense of humor. Eleanor lived in Upper Montclair, NJ for 38 years during which time she was a member of the parish of St. Cassian Church. An avid gardener, Eleanor was a member of the Montclair Garden Club. A lover of all that is beautiful, Eleanor volunteered at the Montclair Art Museum where she assisted in a project to catalog a large collection of bookplates. After the death of Eugene in 1993, Eleanor moved to Franciscan Oaks in Denville, NJ. She has been lovingly cared for by the staff at Franciscan Oaks Health Care Center for several years. Relatives and friends will be received on Friday Feb. 6th from 7-9pm at Norman Dean Home for Services 16 Righter Ave., Denville, NJ www.normandean.com (please light a candle in memory of Eleanor on web site) and are invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Catherine of Siena Church Mountain Lakes, NJ on Saturday Feb. 7th at 9:30am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of the donor.