BURKE, William F. "Bill"

BURKE, DOUGHMAN, PRICE, SAMSON, HARRER

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 6/6/2013 at 10:25:23

William F. “Bill” Burke, 86, of Clear Lake, died Monday, Dec. 26, 2011 at home.
A memorial Mass was held Friday, Dec. 30, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church,
Clear Lake. Msgr. Joseph J. Slepicka celebrated the Mass. Inurnment was in
Memorial Park Cemetery. Military rites were provided by the Mason City Veterans
Memorial Association. Memorials may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa or
donor’s choice.

Bill was born Nov. 11, 1925 in Mason City, the youngest of three children of Dr.
Thomas A. and Elizabeth J. (Price) Burke. He graduated from Mason City High
School in 1943 and the University of Iowa in 1949 where he was a member of Sigma
Nu Fraternity. Bill served as a U.S. Navy medic in the Pacific during WW II
and was honorably discharged in May of 1946. After college Bill lived in
Florida in the West Palm area for almost 20 years where he worked in sales. He
returned to Mason City in 1968 working in sales for Tyler-Ryan Furniture, S&R
Chevrolet and he retired from Guardian Photo in 1992. Bill married Marcia Kerr
Doughman April 13, 1973 in St. Louis Park, Minn. and they moved to Clear Lake in
1973. He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Bill deeply loved his family and friends and they all loved him because of his
kind, generous and caring nature and his wonderful sense of humor. Bill had a
joke or quip for every occasion. He loved living on Clear Lake and not a day
passed that Bill didn’t appreciate the view of the water and sky. One of
Bill’s passions was driving, whether it was his classic Corvette, his boat, his
motorcycle or a plane. Red was his favorite color. Bill loved to dance with
Marcia, especially to the music of the big bands at the Surf Ballroom. Bill was
on the first Honor Flight from North Iowa-Winnebago recognizing WWII Veterans
from Mason City to Washington D.C. in 2009.

Bill is survived by his wife, Marcia K. Burke, of Clear Lake; children, Deb
(Roger) Samson of Nevada, Iowa, David Doughman (Lindsay Parker) of Corvallis,
Ore., Sheri Doughman (Joe Larson) of Minneapolis, Minn., and Rich Doughman of
Mason City; grandchildren, Allison and Rick Samson, Jessica Alonzo and Ariel
Doughman, Peter and Jack Larson; four great-grandchildren; and several nieces
and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Thomas A. Burke Jr.; and
sister, Kathryn Ann Harrer.