Mary J. Van Der Merlin

In Loving Memory of Mary Josephine Van Der Merlin 1929 to 2013, 67 years ago a pretty girl attending St. Bernard's Catholic School in Newton, Massachusetts came into my life. After 7 years of courtship we were married and she became known as Mrs. Henry J Burke Jr. Locally you may have come across Mary and me in Wellesley, West Newton, Brighton or Waltham. Next stop was a 40-acre apple farm in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Pigs, chicken, sheep and more. Mary discovered so many ways to cook eggs and apples she could have filled 2 cook books with recipes. Apples weren't the only thing growing on that farm. We now had three children. The first born daughter Karen, a son Kevin and a second daughter Karolyn. Can you tell we had a thing for "K's". Job transfers brought our family clear across the country to Manhattan Beach, California briefly and then back to upstate New York to our second farm in a little town called Honeoye. After a short stay the company once again called us to Palos Verdes, California. Mary was used to packing up and moving, but this time wanted to stay in California. She made this apparent when she brought her third daughter Kerry into the world. Sticking with the "K's"(Karen, Kevin, Karolyn and Kerry. There were two more moves in her future. 18 years in Escondido, California, and lastly to Prescott, Arizona. She is survived by the all of her children mention above as well as grand children Ben, Mary and Nick. All of whom she loved to spoil. Mary loved life and traveled the world with me. I know she is heaven preparing a spot for me beside her. Our love is truly forever. I hope Mary's girl friends like Mary Mc Quillan, Leone Lawless, Francis Cooney and Mary Corcoran are still alive and can Pray for Mary or at least meet her in Heaven. The final resting place for both of us will be side by side in a lot in the Prescott National Cemetery. To contact family write to Henry J. Burke, 4964 Oriole Court, Prescott, AZ 86301.