Obituary

BURKE, Anne age 91 of Vandalia, died Friday, February 14, 2025 at The Hospice of Dayton.  She is preceded in death by her parents, Samuel and Mary Bartles, and her in-laws, Jack and Bea Burke, and her husband’s ex-wife, Maureen Burke, whom she chose as family.  She is survived by her husband, Aaron Burke; her daughters and son-in-law Elizabeth Vann of San Diego, CA; Sarah and Mats Villen of Stockholm, SE; and Maria White of Covington, KY; her grandchildren Judah and Mirabelle Vann, Hannah and Norah Villen, and Ian and Adrian White; her cousins Margie Pulliam, Ginger Connelly, and Patty Phillips; and her chosen family, Mary Anne and Kelley Davis of Vandalia, OH. Anne was born in Grand Rapids, MI and lived the majority of her life in Dayton. Anne earned her BS and MS in Art Education from Bowling Green State University and Miami University, respectively, and dedicated her life to teaching, creating, and inspiring herself and others to be curious, explore, and take note of the beauty and possibilities in everything around them. She never returned from a walk without her pockets filled with random objects, contemplating what she would do with them in her studio. Her love of learning and inspiring others went beyond art. As a teacher at Belmont Highschool, she nurtured countless youth and as a co-chair of the Student Counsel, chaperoned many student trips. She was civic-minded, exemplified by her active involvement in the Credit Union movement for 66 years, during which she served as a volunteer and Board Member with the Dayton Area School Employees and River Valley Credit Unions. She believed in building community, illustrated by her many years as an active member of the Ohio Art Education Association and Vandalia Sister Cities. Beyond these accomplishments, Anne was a lover of travel and adventure, making numerous trips to include every continent but Antarctica. As all that knew her know, Anne had the greatest smile of all time, was warm, and acted with intention to make anyone around her feel welcome and included. Anne had a zest for life, was typically the ringleader, and taught by example acceptance, inclusion, the power of good deeds, the value of family and friends, and perseverance.  In the last year of her life, despite great physical discomfort and limitations, she traveled to St. Maarten, San Diego, and Stockholm. Though her dear friends are too numerous to mention, special friends Velma and Bobby Amos, Sue and Howard Ducker, Barb Faro, Nancy Andrews and Shirley and Jack Werst, she loved you dearly.  A funeral service was held on Monday, February 17, 2025 at Temple Israel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Temple Israel or to a Native American charity of your choice.

For those unable to attend, you may view a livestream of the service at https://www.youtube.com/c/TempleIsraelDaytonOhio/featured.