Shirley Yvonne Burke

SHIRLEY YVONNE BURKE At the break of dawn on Saturday, June 4, 2016, Shirley Yvonne Burke (Carew) peacefully entered the eternal Kingdom of God. As her soul traversed to the afterlife, doves could be heard cooing outside her bedroom window (really, we can't make this stuff up). In the days prior to her death, she amiably tolerated being surrounded by her large and loving family despite the fact that social gatherings weren't really her thing. Shirley was born to Wallace and Sara Carew on January 15, 1929 in Grafton, North Dakota. She spent her childhood in Glasston, ND, and especially enjoyed spending time at her maternal grandparents' farm there. She attended St. Thomas High School, and kept her outstanding report cards for the rest of her life - lest anyone question her intelligence. She believed very strongly in the importance of education, and had little patience for the willfully ignorant. She was proud to have earned the role of Valedictorian for her graduating class, but turned down the honor upon learning that she would have to make a speech (she settled for Salutatorian instead). On Groundhog's Day, 1948, Shirley married Maurice A. Burke of Cavalier, ND. Each year they would wish each other "Happy Groundhog's Day" instead of "Happy Anniversary". Together, they had two daughters, Melanie and Patti, and more dogs than can easily be listed. In 1951, they moved to Inglewood, California in search of better work and in the hope that they would no longer have to shovel 5 feet of snow from their driveway well into late Spring. Eventually, they settled in Torrance, CA. There, Shirley worked as a bookkeeper for a trucking company, though she dressed and held herself with all the dignity of a woman off to work at City Hall. After the death of her husband on May 15, 1984, Shirley moved to Redway, CA where her two daughters had settled and started their own families - a move indicative of her complete devotion to her children and grandchildren. No slacker, she put her business acumen to good use as co-owner of the Shelter Cove Grotto in Redway with her daughter Melanie from the mid 1980's to the early 1990's. Afterwards, she dedicated herself to being a full-time Grandma and popular patron of the Blue Room in Garberville, where she was a prolific winner of sports pools. She was also a long-time member of the Garberville Presbyterian Church, where she would sit in the back pew (like the cool kid sitting in the back of the bus), passing out mints and occasionally offering witty comments. In her free time, she enjoyed spending time with her beloved dogs in her garden, and sitting in the sun on her deck with a cocktail until she had a tan that impressed even native Californians. Shirley never did forget her North Dakota roots, however. She continued to receive the Cavalier Chronicle each week, often spoke in farm lingo, and was rarely seen without a sweater. Of all her loves in life, it was Shirley's love of animals that particularly stood out. She was a dedicated supporter of several animal charities. She adopted many rescue dogs over her lifetime, and gave each of them all the love in her generous heart. Her backyard was a haven for birds, honey bees, and butterflies, and was even the home of a rescued goat at one time. Shirley's sense of integrity also made a strong impact on those around her. She believed in always doing the right thing, even when it was tempting not to. She could always be counted upon to give her honest opinion, and was able to deliver a remarkable amount of sass, wit, and wisdom considering she was a woman of few words. For an unassuming woman who stood less than five feet tall, Shirley's strength of mind, body, and spirit was not to be trifled with. She endured many things in her life, from physical ailments to emotional hardships, and handled all of it with more grace and tenacity than most of us could muster. We remain in awe of this strong woman, whose humour and good-nature shone through to her very last moment. Shirley is survived by her sister Wanda Markel (Dean), daughters Melanie Gorden and Patti Burke-Anderson (Clif), grandchildren Eric Parker, Erin Parker, Ryan Hutson, Jameson Hutson, Britt Anderson, Brooke Gorden, and Brett Gorden, and 8 great-grandchildren. A grave-side service will be held at 2pm on Friday, June 17, at Sunrise Cemetery in Fortuna, California. It would be suitable to honor Shirley's memory by giving your dog a hug and kiss. If you don't have a dog, at least take a moment to sit in the sun. Please sign the guestbook at www.times-standard.com under obituaries.

Friday, June 17, 2016
2:00 PM

Sunrise Cemetery
3315 Newburg road
Fortuna, CA 95540

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