Madeline Burke

Madeline Burke, 91, of Arroyo Grande, passed away from congestive heart failure Monday, Nov. 15, 2004, at her daughter's home in Dallas, Ore., where she moved in November of 2002.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, at First United Methodist Church in Arroyo Grande.

Madeline was born in Coraopolis, Pa. March 4, 1913. She and Bernard were married April 25, 1935, after knowing each other since the age of two. In 1947 they moved to Glendale. While in California she showed that she was quite the entrepreneur and opened a baby shop in the front portion of the house. She moved to Arroyo Grande in her 50s, where she bought a place on the mesa called Shady Oaks Ranch and turned it into a home for retirement living. After she and her husband retired in 1976, they remained on the ranch and enjoyed raising a beautiful garden and a few pets. She enjoyed canning and preserving the things that Bernie would grow.

When they decided to travel, they moved to Sunrise Terrace Mobile Home Park, where they could just lock up and go on many trips. Madeline also enjoyed playing bridge with the ladies in the park. In 1988 they moved back into a home where there was room for a garden. Once there she resumed her love of canning and caring for their home.

Madeline loved family events, cooking, parties, traveling, cross-stitching, reading and bowling. She was always taking classes to improve her education and was very active in her church. She was the past president of Five Cities Christian Food Bank and participated in the Arroyo Grande Woman's Club. She also was involved in Bernie's campaign for city council. If there was any charity work that needed to be done, she would step right in to help.

In keeping with the spirit of Madeline's work with the food bank, a collection of canned goods

will be taken up after the memorial service and donated to the Food Bank.

Madeline is survived by her four children, Ed Burke, Chuck Burke, Bonnie Gazdik and Sally Burke; 10 grandchildren; and six great-granddaughters.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Burke, who died April 28, 2000.