Antonina P Burke

Nina Portaro Burke, 95, devoted wife of the late William Burke, and loving mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on June 15, 2024, in Falls Church, Virginia.
Nina was born in Lima, Peru, on March 5, 1929. After completing her studies, she served as a program manager and translator, working closely with the Peruvian Ministry of Education and several international organizations. In 1962, Nina joined the U.S. Government's newly established Peace Corps office in Peru. Here, Nina was truly in her element, supporting both the program's executive staff and its volunteers, many of whom would become lifelong friends.
In 1970, she left Peru and moved to the United States to marry William Burke, who had been living and working in Peru since 1959. After marrying in Bill's native New York, they settled in the Washington, D.C. area, a transition eased by the local presence of the friends she made while working for the Peace Corps. It wasn't long before her two sons, Dennis and Brian, came along, and the family soon made Montclair, VA, their home for more than 30 years.
The Burke household was a popular gathering place, with countless football, baseball, and basketball games played just out front. Nina would cheerfully prepare snacks and dole out iced tea and chicha morada to quench the boys' thirst after hours of sports. It was also not uncommon for Nina to pile more kids than should possibly have fit into a little blue Honda Civic hatchback to spend a few hours at Lake Montclair on hot summer days. It was not just the neighborhood children, however, who benefitted from Nina's joyful hospitality, as she regularly welcomed friends and family into her home for festive events, including many 28 de julio, Peruvian Independence Day, celebrations.
When not looking after her boys and Bill, Nina served as an executive assistant at the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and loved being a teacher and tutor, helping not only friends and family improve their Spanish skills but also hundreds of students over the course of nearly 20 years as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Graduate School Program.
In retirement, Nina and Bill enjoyed the simple pleasures of traveling and spending time with family and friends. Nina became a doting "Nonni" to her three adoring granddaughters, enthusiastically participating in every aspect of their lives.
Nina's defining characteristic was her selflessness, with countless friends, family, and strangers benefiting from untold acts of kindness and generosity over the years. Unsurprisingly, Nina was a lifelong volunteer, from leading Sunday School and the Girl Scouts in Peru to volunteering at Pattie Elementary School and delivering Meals on Wheels to the sick and homebound across Prince William County, as well as many other worthy causes. Nina was truly nourished by living out her Catholic faith and helping others.
Nina is survived by her two sons, Dennis Burke of San Francisco, California, and his wife, Christine; and Brian Burke of Arlington, Virginia, and his wife, Carey; and their three daughters, Emily, Caitlin, and Madailein, who brought her so much joy.
A funeral mass will be held on July 10th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church on Fuller Heights Road in Triangle, Virginia. The service will be followed by a burial at Quantico National Cemetery and a luncheon at Giorgio's Family Restaurant in Montclair, a favorite dining destination of Nina and Bill. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Nina's name to the American Alzheimer's Association (https://www.alz.org) or Parroquia Santa Ana, St. Francis's sister parish outside Lima, Peru (https://www.osvhub.com/stfrncis/giving/funds/sister-parish).