Marie Jeannette Burke, age 82, died Dec. 28 at her home in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
She lived on Bainbridge Island for 68 years before retiring to Poulsbo in 1989. In 1999, she and husband George moved to Lake Havasu City, an island in the Colorado River.
She was born in 1921 in Seattle, the first child of Ingvald and Ragna Haugen of Eagledale, Bainbridge Island.
She attended McDonald Grade School in Eagledale and graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1939.
She worked in revenue accounting at Pacific Northwest Bell in Seattle for many years. She also worked on Bainbridge Island at the Winslow Marine Shipyard, the Lynwood Sanitarium and the Winslow Beauty Salon.
She married George Burke in 1948 at the original Bethany Lutheran Church in West Blakely.
She was active in the Bainbridge Island Democratic Club and the Kitsap County Democratic Party for 31 years. She also served three terms on the church council at Bethany Lutheran Church, and participated in many church committees.
She worked many years with the Seattle Children’s Orthopedic Hospital through the Bainbridge Amelia Hungerford Guild.
She loved the Hawaiian Islands, and made 22 extended vacation trips to Kauai, Maui, Oahu and Molaki with her husband. Her most revered place was Poipu Beach on Kauai.
She was preceded in death by her sisters, Ruth Mosher and Gladys Ruthrauff.
She is survived by her husband George and son Patrick (Janice) Burke of Olympia; grandson Grant (Brooke Collins) Burke; great-grandchildren Julia and Drew of Austin, Texas; nephews Scott and Jerry Ruthrauff and Ray Mosher; and nieces Eileen Lower and Irene Mello.
A family service will be held at Port Blakely Cemetery at a later date.
Arrangements are under the direction of Lake Havasu Mortuary.