John Patrick Burke, 84, of Kansas City, KS, passed away on Thursday, May 6, 2021. A Rosary will be prayed at 5:00 PM followed by a visitation until 7:00 PM on Monday, May 10, at the Porter Funeral Home, 1835 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, KS. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM Tuesday, May 11, at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Catholic Church, 5035 Rainbow Blvd., MissionWoods, KS. Burial in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
John was born on March 12, 1937, the second son of John Joseph and Wilhelmina (Bortenlanger) Burke. He grew up on the family farm near Gretna, Nebraska, along with his siblings Joe, Jerry, Mary, Anne and Pete. Hearing that he grew up on a farm, his grandson Andy asked, “Were you a plant?” Although the amused answer was no, he did spend his entire life learning and seeking truth, and recently said that this passion for education was, “food for my brain.”
After high school, John attended St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, KS, where he studied mechanical engineering. After his father’s untimely death, he decided to change majors to math so that he could complete his education closer to home, at St. Benedict’s, rather than return to Notre Dame. It was during his senior year that he had a date with a young woman who deposited her sister at the dance as a substitute, then immediately left to see her old boyfriend who was in town. Being the polite man that he was, John made the most with his date with Mary Jane Hattendorf. Through the coming year, Mary Jane made many trips from Kansas City, and on August 8, 1959, they were married in Atchison. He carted her away to their honeymoon in a wheelbarrow, with big smiles on both of their faces. Thus began their marriage of nearly 40 years.
John began his teaching career at Gretna High School, but after one year, with a baby on the way, they moved to Lawrence, KS, to begin grad school at KU. He found himself spending more time preparing for the classes he taught as a grad student than he did for his own classes, and realized that maybe teaching really was his calling. Putting grad school on the back burner, and with a second baby on the way, John and Mary Jane moved to Kansas City. He taught math and physics at Bishop Ward High School from 1961 until 1973, and coached his indoor track team to two state championships. He was an inaugural inductee into the Bishop Ward High Athletic Hall of Fame, which was a humbling moment for him.
A teaching career is really a family career. Track meets, football games, making stilts out of old basketball court wood, rope jumping with old high jump standards; all were participatory events and life shaping experiences for the family. A math question was never a simple answer, it was a chance to teach his grade school child algebra. A track meet was a chance for his kids to get the extremely rare meal away from home and forever remember that the mile relay can determine who wins the meet. Over the years at Ward, his family grew to six children, and his desire to spend more time with them became the greater pull. He left teaching and coaching with regret, but he did so in order to be a better husband and father.
Picking up his early education in engineering, John turned his summer construction jobs into a career that went from 1973 until he retired from Haake Construction in 2017 at the age of 80. Mary Jane had to adjust from the pride of sending her husband off to work in a perfectly pressed shirt & tie to adding patch upon patch to work jeans that John never grew out of. Blueprints spread over the dining room table, newly poured concrete to check late at night (covered with plastic, it makes a nice warm place for a son to sleep), tools kept for every possible task, nothing ever thrown away because it might be used for something someday; again, this career became part of the family. Poor weather and periods without work inspired friends to share Christmas bounty one year, which made a lifelong impression on his children. Despite the cold winters, it was a career he enjoyed, and he kept at it for so long, “because I like to give money away, so I guess I’ll keep working.”
In the early 1970’s John and Mary Jane began to lead Marriage Encounter weekends. Sayings such as “love is a decision” and “love is unconditional” circulated in the household. “Family circles” where feelings were discussed caused their teenagers angst. Mary Jane would have her presentations prepared long in advance; John would write his at the last minute late into the night. They learned a lot about each other, they shared their love with many new friends, and they demonstrated the power of commitment and how to regenerate love even amidst the many distractions in life.
Although a quiet man, John was a man of strong values and beliefs. His commitment to the unborn led to a deep involvement in the Right to Life movement, where he served as president of Eastern Kansas Right to Life for many years. He was a man of action, praying rosaries outside Planned Parenthood and assisting those who ultimately chose life over abortion. When the changing table he was transporting for a granddaughter on the way somehow landed on the highway, he restored it and donated it to a mother in need. Many dear friends have been made over the years, as he joined them in speaking up for those without a voice.
In 1999, his beloved wife Mary Jane died of ovarian cancer, leaving a gaping hole in his stunned family. He somehow led our family through this loss and has spent the last 22 years committed to caring for those he loved. Although his culinary skills were limited to scrambled eggs and questionable canned soups, he stepped up tothe plate and began hosting weekly Sunday dinners. The wedding dishes came out, the good silverware was used, and these meals became the highlight of the week.
John was above all a man of faith and a man of generosity. He trusted in God to provide for him and his family, and he shared his own blessings abundantly. Although funds were lean at times, his children rarely knew; piano lessons never stopped, food was always plentiful (steaks were often on the menu, thanks to his farmer brothers), and all six children went through at least 12 years of Catholic education. He was one of the kindest, most gentle and generous of men. He was devoted to his faith, family, and doing what is right with a passion and incredible durability.
Going before him to be with our heavenly Father were his wife, Mary Jane, parents John and Wilhelmina, brother Jerry, sister Regina, sister-in-law Patricia Nerney, sister-in-law Bunny Burke and brother-in-law John Lyons. Left to treasure his memory are his children Kathy Burke-Thomas and husband Jim Thomas of Leawood, KS; Tom Burke of Kansas City, KS; Patty Lowery and husband Dewey of Perth, Western Australia; Mike Burke of Kansas City, KS; Bill Burke and wife Norma of Kansas City, KS; and Mary Ann Holmes and husband Michael of Prairie Village, KS. Remembering hand carved toys and many old-time Christmas gifts from Cracker Barrel are his grandchildren Andy Lowery and wife Jess of Perth; Kyle Williams and Steven Williams of North Kansas City, MO; Laurel Thomas and husband Brodie Herrman of Prairie Village; Anna Cole of Perth; Ryan Thomas of Canon City, CO; Abby Lowery of Perth; and Noah Crew of Prairie Village; and great-grandchildren Teddy, Penny, Sebastian, Christian and Aiden. Carrying memories of antics such as pulling the ivy off of the church (without approval), making gallons of homemade ice cream for 4th of July family picnics, and shooting potatoes across the field with his homemade potato gun are his brother Joe Burke of Atchison, KS; sister-in-law Maxine Burke of Gretna, NE; sister Mary Lyons of Whitefield, ME; sister Anne Souchek and husband Marvin of Lincoln, NE; brother Pete Burke and wife Judy of Gretna, NE; brother-in-law Tom Nerney of Overland Park, KS; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Nancy and Don Hastings of Dayton, OH; and many nieces and nephews. And finally, ready to testify to his gentle words of wisdom, gracious generosity, and inability to throw away anything that still has a fraction of useful life are his adopted family, Chris and Stephanie Wyller of Kansas City, KS.
Memorial contributions may be made to “The John P. Burke Trust” for the ongoing care of his son Tom or to Advice and Aid Pregnancy Center in Overland Park, KS.
He was and will always be loved, cherished, remembered and influential in our lives. He will be missed by many for a wide variety of reasons and memories of him will be with us for generations. Rest In Peace, dear one.