Dorothy Anne Burke-Rumer

1927 - 2018

Dorothy Anne Meier Burke-Rumer passed from this life peacefully on December 23, 2018 at the age of 91 at her home in Santa Monica, California, surrounded by her husband Bill Rumer, her children, her stepson Andy Rumer, and close friends.

Dorothy was born June 2, 1927 in Muskegon, Michigan, the youngest of seven children of Ed and Helen Meier. She earned her nursing degree in 1949 at Mercy Central School of Nursing in Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Santa Monica, California, where she met her husband, Donald Burke, M.D. They married in 1953, and eventually made their home in the Brentwood community of Los Angeles, where they raised their six children. Dorothy immersed herself in her children's lives, becoming active in numerous committees at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, Loyola High School, and Marymount High School. A gracious and able hostess, she organized many parties at the family home, oftentimes centered around paddle tennis and pool parties with her & Donald's many friends, as well as her children and their friends. For many years she also orchestrated annual summertime trips to Lake Arrowhead where she and Donald, along with other family friends, hosted their children and their friends to summer fun on the lake, taking in water skiing and fun on the dock. It was always inspiring to watch Dorothy host a menagerie of friends who showed up to enjoy the generous family spirit she so lovingly created and nurtured.

After Donald Burke passed away in 1994, Dorothy was blessed to fall in love again, and she married her and Donald's long-time friend, Bill Rumer, whose wife, Nancy Rumer, had passed away in 1991; Nancy and Dorothy were also very close, long-time friends. Thus began her and Bill's charmed life together -- filled with love, travel, road trips to Palm Desert, dining adventures, and innumerable get-togethers with family and friends.

Dorothy was predeceased by her former husband, Donald Burke, her parents, Ed and Helen Meier, her three sisters and three brothers and her step daughter, Kim Rumer. She is survived by her second husband, Bill Rumer, her six children, Sean (& Monica) Burke, Cheryl (& David) Ball, Maureen (& Bill) Fimpler, Tim (& Kathy) Burke, Cameron Burke, and Molly (& Kevin) Harrigan; two stepsons, Bob (& Mary Jean) Rumer, and Andy Rumer; eighteen grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.

Services will be held on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, 11967 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90049. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Marymount High School or Loyola High School.