Kenneth Lee Burke

Kenneth Lee Burke, son of the late Luther Shadric and Minnie Mae (Harrison) Burke, was born on May 15, 1925 in Norwood, Missouri and departed this life on May 31, 2014 at his residence in Springfield, Missouri, following a short illness. He was 89 years of age.
Kenneth grew up, attended school and graduated at Stoney Point, Missouri, south of Norwood, Missouri. He later moved to Gary, Indiana, where he worked in the steel mills. He enlisted and began serving his country in the United States Navy in the summer of 1943. Kenneth was honorably discharged as a Chief Hospital Corpsman E-7 on December 9, 1970 following thirty years of service. He earned and was awarded eleven medals for his dedicated and outstanding performance of duty to his country.
He was united in marriage to Rosella Malot in 1947. This marriage was blessed with five children: two sons and three daughters.
After living in San Diego, California for several years because of his military career, Kenneth moved back to the Mtn. Grove, Missouri area, along with three of his children. He wanted to retire closer to where he was raised and to be near his own siblings.
He married Maxine Barnett on September 14, 1976 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They enjoyed their retirement and traveling all over the country. They visited their children, grandchildren and numerous family and friends along the way. Their favorite place to visit was Las Vegas, Nevada, where they enjoyed going two or three times each year.
Kenneth was and will always be a loving man, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather in the hearts and minds of all he touched. He will be GREATLY missed and was truly loved by those knew him.
Kenneth was the last of his siblings and was the oldest living Burke from his family.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife: Rosella Burke; his second wife: Maxine Burke; two sons: Ronald Lee Burke and Hubert Dickinson; and by two daughters: Janice Krashin and June Kennedy.
Kenneth is survived by his five remaining children: Sandy Kay Henning and her husband, Ted, of San Diego, California, Patricia May Kensinger and her husband, Ray, of Springfield Missouri, Linda McKaig of Springfield Missouri, a step-daughter: Debbie Edwards of Hartville, Missouri, and one son: Keith Burke of Springfield, Missouri; fourteen grandchildren; twenty-one great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.