BURKE, Roger Donel 1945 – 2017

Burke, Roger Donel, of Carmangay, beloved husband of Beryl, passed away at the Vulcan Community Health Centre September 7, 2017 at the age of 71 years.

Roger was born Dec.5, 1945 in Carmangay, youngest son of Lethrie and June Burke. He grew up in the Carmangay area and attended school here. After leaving school early on, Roger decided to later pursue his High School Equivalency Diploma which he received in 1997.

Roger took on many tasks throughout his life – picking rocks, hard rock mining, truck driving, trailer building and a number of oil field jobs. In 1968 he met the love of his life on a blind date – Beryl Leonard of Saskatchewan and they were married Feb.15, 1969. They lived in Lethbridge for 3 ½ years where Roger worked at Boise Cascade building trailers. By this time, Roger and Beryl were blessed with three children.

The Burkes moved to the Crowsnest Pass where Roger worked for Phillips Cable, making underground cables. Next, they moved to Clinton, B.C. where he worked for BC Rail as a brakeman as well as driving fuel truck, backhoes, or handyman jobs just to make ends meet.

In the spring of 1976, a call back to Carmangay brought them back to the area where Roger helped with moving houses and then took over the business in 1979. From 1985 to 1987, the family operated a restaurant/grocery store in Carmangay called the Lost Burger Café. In 1987, they sold the house moving business and Roger found work at the Little Bow Auxiliary Hospital in the Maintenance Department, where he worked for over 25 years.

Roger was a Carmangay Lions Club member for over 30 years, a volunteer as Director of Disaster Services for over 15 years, a member of the Carmangay Fire Department and Fire Association for over 30 years, a village councillor, a member of the Recreation Board for 20 years, as well as past president of the Alberta House Movers Association in 1984 and 1985. Roger and Beryl have been involved with the Champion Congregational Church for several years and enjoyed the opportunity to go to Mexico to help orphanages and churches there.

Besides his loving wife Beryl, Roger is survived by his children – daughters Angela (Allan) Calvin and their children Ethan, Katurah, Bethany and Tasia; Kym (Chris) Nichols and their children Savannah, Merissah and Quade; and son Kelly (Cassie) Burke and their children Chase and Mattie. He is also survived by his brother Dennis (Carolyn) Burke, brother-in-law Carl Nelson and numerous nieces and nephews. Roger was predeceased by his parents Lethrie and June Burke and sister Raema Nelson.

Celebration of Life, conducted by Pastor Larry Losey and the Burke family, will be held Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 2 pm at the Champion Hall,  Inurnment to take place at a later date.

In Lieu of flowers, any tributes in Roger’s memory can be made to the Southern Alberta Bible Camp (SABC), Box 99, Lomond, AB T0L 1G0 OR Samaritan’s Purse Canada, 20 Hopewell Way NE, Calgary, Alberta, T3J 5H5.

Arrangements in care of Vulcan Funeral Home. Telephone 1-403-485-2633. E-mail condolences through www.vulcanfuneralhome.ca.