Larry J. Burke

Larry J. Burke died Thursday, June 23, 2011, in an automobile accident. He was born in Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 6, 1929, to Cullen and Doris Burke. He moved to his grandparents’ farm in Albany, Ind., with his mother and brother, Jack, after his parents divorced when Larry was a toddler. His grandparents raised him and his brother after his mother’s untimely death at the age of 29. Despite the pressures of the depression and family tragedies, Larry had many great adventures growing up on the farm and enjoyed showing champion Chester White hogs at the local fair. He graduated at the top of the class from DeSoto High School in 1946. Larry worked his way through Ball State University, graduating with a B.A. in 1951, where he met Elizabeth (Betty) Rosetta Spaulding and began a lifelong romance. They were married in Montpelier, Ind., on July 12, 1952. In 1954, Larry received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Upon graduation, he served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956 in the Counter Intelligence Corps and was stationed in Würzburg, Germany. After completing his military service, Larry and Betty settled in Fort Wayne, where he began his legal career. He joined the law firm that ultimately became Kennerk, Dumas, Burke, Backs, Salin & Long, and later became a solo practitioner. Among many highlights of his four decades of work as a lawyer, Larry served as the President of the Allen County Bar Association, and chaired the Legal Ethics Committee and the Economics of Practice Committee for the Indiana State Bar Association. He also served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney early in his career and as the Deputy City Attorney during the Armstrong Administration. He worked on civil rights matters throughout his career - a cause he was passionate about throughout his life - working on cases to open the local private golf courses to all and to make government hiring and promotion practices more equitable. Larry and Betty raised their five children in Fort Wayne and were always active and involved in community affairs. Larry served on the board of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation as member and two-time president. He also served on the board of the African American Historical Museum. He and Betty enjoyed the arts, architecture, traveling to the Southwest and sporting events. Larry had a keen intellect, read voraciously, and was a true Renaissance man - he knew so much about so many topics and took courses in yoga, pottery and calligraphy. He was a fine storyteller, had a self-effacing manner and a great sense of humor, and could connect easily with anyone he met. Larry derived great joy from fatherhood and loved being surrounded by his family and friends. He often traveled to visit children, grandchildren and other relatives. In recent years, he enjoyed spending time with the ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out), his close friend, Mary Knopp, and his lively golden doodle, Shakespeare. He also remained very active and frequently rode his bike, shot baskets in his drivewayandwalked Shakespeare through Franke Park. His wife, Betty, his son, Kevin, and his brother, Jack, preceded Larry in death. He is survived by his sons, Dennis (Connie) and Tim (Sarah), and his daughters, Nancy (Todd) Nahrwold and Amy (Scott) Kosnoff. He also is survived by his brother, John,sister-in-law Iris andten grandchildren: Dustin (Rebecca), Casie, Colleen (John) Walston, Jamie (Patrick) Eckhold, Claire, Margaret, Kate, Hannah, Cameron and Allison; and many nieces and nephews. His first great-grandchild, Burke Walston, was born in October.Larry was looking forward to meeting his great-granddaughter, expected by Jamie and Pat Eckhold in early August. A memorial service is planned at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5310 Old Mill Road, Fort Wayne, Ind., on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. Church will be open at 9:30 a.m. for guest. A private burial will be held for family at the Godlove-Depoy cemetery in Albany, Ind., near the family farm. In lieu of flowers, contributions would be graciously accepted for the Building Fund of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation or for the African American Historical Museum of Fort Wayne. Arrangements by D.O. McComb and Sons Lakeside Park Funeral Home, 1140 Lake Ave. To sign the online guest book, go to www.mccombandsons.com.