Burke, Ernest (Ernie) (1887-1960)

BALLENSIEFER, BURKE, CARR, EARL, HAGEN, FULK, JOHNSON, KINZIE, PHILLIPS, RICHTER, SCHWENKE, SCOTT

Posted By: Jan Paulsen (email)
Date: 1/12/2009 at 23:08:08

Ernest (Ernie) F. Burke

ERNEST F. (ERNIE) BURKE, respected in life and lauded for ‘solid dedicated citizenship’ in death, was laid to rest in the Atlantic Cemetery Sunday morning, following Requiem Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Anita, with the Rev. JOSEPH DEVLIN officiating.

Two grandsons, KEVIN BURKE of Anita and ROALD of Harlan served as -----, with organ music by a stepdaughter, Mrs. RICHARD RICHTER. Casket bearers were ERIC---, FELIS SCOTT, GLEN PHILLIPS, ROBERT HAGEN, JACK FULK and LEVON KINZIE. Mrs. FANNA SCHWENKE and Mr. and Mrs. H. C. FAULKNER were in charge of the flowers.

The Rev. LEO CANNON of Harlan was present in the sanctuary for the Mass. Three Sisters from St. Michael’s school in Harlan represented a granddaughter, Sister MARY JUDINE of Harlan, who is a novice at Notre Dame Convent at Omaha and was unable to attend the rites.

Anita businesses closed for the services, attended by an overflow crowd of friends and relatives. In his funeral sermon Fr. Devlin pointed out that the deceased had given the community the progressive, dependable leadership so sorely needed. Not the hero’s role of flash-in-the-pan armor clanging, but steady year in and year out faithful stewardship of time and resources in the best interest of the community’s welfare.

Mr. Burke was one of the organizers and charter members of St. Mary’s parish here in 1920. He was a trustee of the parish for many years and instrumental in efforts to build a new Catholic church here last year. In January of this year he was made a Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness, Pope Paul XXIII, one of the six orders of Christian Knighthood conferred on men of unblemished character who have ------interests of Society and the Church. It is the oldest of all papal orders, a signal honor which had been awarded to very few Iowans.

Mr. Burke had been in poor health for the past 2 or 3 years. He died at the Atlantic Memorial Hospital early Thursday morning, Dec. 15. He was born on Dec. 7, 1887, the son of THOMAS and CATHERINE BURKE, on the family farm west of Atlantic, where he spent his boyhood years. He personally took his first load of cattle into Chicago by rail at the age of 13. His father was of ---pioneer stock, (emigrating) to the United States during the great Irish potato famine, building bridges during the Civil War, prospering for gold in the West and later homesteading in the Atlantic area.

Ernest Burke and EVELYN BALLENSIEFER of Wiota were married Jan. 18, 1910 and began farming east of Anita. Two or three years later they moved into Anita, where Mr. Burke founded a livestock buying and farm management business. He was associated with R. A. WILSON for many years, later E. C. DORSEY and RAY DORSEY and since the late 1930’s his son GAIL. The business was greatly expanded in the 1930’s. His first son RAYMOND went to Oakland, then to Harlan, where he has been in livestock buying business for many years.

Although Gail Burke has taken over active management of the firm here-in recent years, his father has always retained an active interest in the business and kept office hours to the last. Mr. Burke finished eighth grade in country school and also attended the Old Atlantic Commercial College.

Mr. Burke was a member of the Knight of Columbus and Elks Club at Atlantic. He served on the Anita town council for 16 years. During his term the council made numerous inspection trips and inaugurated the paving of Anita’s streets, a major accomplishment in any day.

HiS first wife died on Jan. 28, 1948. On Feb. 25, 1949, he married her sister, Mrs. LENA EARL of Wiota. Other survivors are his two sons, Gail of Anita and Raymond of Harlan; 12 grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. ROSE CARR of Waterloo, Mrs. MINNIE BALLENSIEFER of Wiota and Mrs. CATHERINE JOHNSON of Atlantic and two brothers, JOE BURKE of Atlantic and WILLIAM of Des Moines.

He had been in business in Anita almost 50 years and observed his 73rd birthday earlier this month.
Source: Anita Tribune, Anita, Iowa

Wednesday, December 21, 1960