Burke

Daniel J. Burke, 90, of Meridian died Saturday evening at the Oakland Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Pittsburgh.

Born in Free-port, Oct. 5, 1916, he was a son of Daniel and Katherine Purcell Burke.

He retired as a maintenance supervisor for the engineering department of the Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center after 30 years.

Throughout his retirement, he enjoyed mechanical work and loved the horses he kept for years.

Mr. Burke was a decorated World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps, where he served as a flight engineer for three years in the 9th Air Force in Europe. He was captured and became a prisoner of war on Dec. 23, 1944, when his aircraft was shot down over Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge.

His unit was the 76th Troop Carrier Unit and he received a Presidential Citation, the Air Medal with three clusters and six Bronze Stars for combat flights.

He was a life member of the VFW and the D.A.V. and was also a member of the Caterpillar Club for his parachute jump behind enemy lines.

He was a member of St. Fidelis Roman Catholic Church, Meridian.

He will be mourned as a loving husband and wonderful father and grandfather. His sense of history, natural wit and wisdom will be greatly missed by his wife, Loretta M. "Betty" Maloney Burke, whom he married Oct. 10, 1945; two sons, Daniel J. Burke III and his wife, Pamela, of Renfrew and Ronald M. Burke, and his wife, Linda, of Naples, N.Y.; a daughter, Dr. Eileen J. Lammie, V.M.D., and her husband, Sam Lammie, of Elkins, W.Va.; and grandchildren, Tracy (Matt) Stroschein, Sean (Jennifer) Burke, Eric (Emily) Burke, Catherine and Michael Burke and Samantha and Daniel Lammie; and three great-grandchildren, Max, Madeline and Drake Burke.

A brother, William J. Burke, preceded him in death.

<B>BURKE </B>— Friends of Daniel J. Burke, who died Saturday, June 9, 2007, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the <B>GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Fidelis Roman Catholic Church, 125 Buttercup Road, Meridian. Burial, with military honors by the VFW Post 249 Ceremonial Honor Guard, will be at St. Mary of the Assumption Cemetery, Herman.The Bereavement Committee of St. Fidelis Parish will hold a vigil prayer service at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.