1916-2020
Dorothy Burke, age 104, died on September 22, 2020 at Chippewa Manor nursing home.
Dorothy was born June 13, 1916 in Colfax, WI, the daughter of the late Robert and Celia (Woodbury) Morrison where her father was the principal of Colfax High School. Dorothy moved to Boyd with her parents in 1923 when her father became principal of Boyd High School. He died in 1926 and at that time she moved into the Boyd telephone office with her mother who became the switchboard operator for several years.
Dorothy married George Burke in Boyd in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. They resided in Boyd the rest of their lives together. She worked at the Boyd telephone office, the Boyd post office, Taber’s Café and Mandel’s Grocery Store. She then began working at the Northern Center in Chippewa Falls in the 1960’s where she remained until retiring in 1981. In 2012, Dorothy moved to the Chippewa Manor Residential Living Facility and in 2020, she moved to the Manor Nursing Home.
Dorothy was active in St. Joseph’s Church, enjoyed knitting, traveling with her husband, George, and in later years lived for the morning coffee get together with her women friends in downtown Boyd. After moving to the Chippewa Manor, she quickly became a regular at the daily “coffee corner” gatherings there.
Dorothy is survived by her 5 children, Peggy (Bill) Harycki of Thorp, Bob (Nancy Cree) Burke of Chippewa Falls, Rick (Beverly DeBruin) Burke of Rhinelander, Mike (LaVonne Dzienkowski) Burke of Cadott, and Kathleen (Gene) Burke-Scheffler of Golden Valley, MN, she is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren and her brother-in-law Gerald Giese.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband George, daughter and son-inlaw Nancy and Gerald Jackson, sisters Mabel Gregory (Dr. Ivan Gregory) and Margaret Morrison, her baby brother, grandchildren Jane Jackson, Dan Jackson, Mike Jackson and Billy Harycki and one great grandchild, Molly Smith.
A Service of Christian Burial was held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Boyd with Deacon Ned Willkom officiating. Burial followed at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery-Boyd. Visitation was at the church until the time of service. Plombon Funeral home assisted the family with arrangements.
Dorothy’s family thanks Dr. Briana Kirt and the staffs of the Chippewa Manor Residential Living facility and the Manor Nursing Home for the kind care they have provided to her these past 8 years. Thank you also to St. Joseph’s Hospice program and staff.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Boyd, Fire and Ambulance service.
