David was a wonderful brother to me. In the last few years of his life, he and I talked on the telephone nearly every single day. We grew very close as we shared our lives with one another, and our family loved the trip that he made to Waco/FlowerMound/College Station to visit with all of us. I never shall forget the last time that I saw David at the airport as he was getting ready to fly back to Albuquerque. I told him how to reach out to the Lord one-on-one -- no church needed. I believe he did as confirmed by my other brothers later. David is now with the Lord as is my precious husband of 58 years years. Learning from the Lord Himself - the secrets of the universe...

Now that my husband has Lewy body dementia and is in a senior memory care facility, I remember even more vividly how kind and caring David was to our mommy and daddy, Ruby and Ronald Burke. He took wonderful care of both of them during a period in their lives when they truly needed that daily watchcare. David's sense of humor must have lifted their hearts a zillion times during their last days on this earth. David and I talked almost every day on the phone for the last several years of his life, and he always managed to lift my spirits also. Out of the blue, I will recall some poignant memory of David that will bring a smile to my face. He truly was a unique person, and he was a blessing to so many. It is fitting that we should pay him special tribute on his birthday. 

I miss you and wish you were here.

Another year, another birthday. Wish we were celebrating together again. I miss you so.

I can't believe another year has gone by since you left us. I love and miss you SO much!

Thank you Ann and Roz for putting together this great tribute in photos to honor our wonderful and unique David Burke. From the day he was born, there was no one who was ever like him. He was a "surprise package" with his ever-seeking personality, always researching, engaging, and learning new things.

David never tired of pursuing the unusual. Nobody could tell stories like David. He was a natural actor and knew exactly how to capture an audience -- even an audience of one. He was quite the artist and had that creative gene that took him down many different paths. I never shall forget his drawings at a young age of dinosaurs which then changed to Frankenstein characters. What do they have in common...absolutely nothing but that was David.

He also had a big heart of compassion which would show itself at poignant moments. He loved to write and wove his creative tales around so many of his personal passions and interests.

David was a great teacher. Waynie and I got to attend one of his MSU courses at one time, and he made philosophy live for his students.

We treasure those special moments, particularly the time that we flew him to Texas toward the end of his life. We worked it out so that we could drive to the various cities in Texas for each member of our family to get to know David. We are very thankful that we had those moments together and can now share those memories of him with one another. 

David loved deeply, and he was loved deeply. For that we are very thankful. We believe that toward the end of his life, he made his peace with the Lord and lives forever with Him.

Another year since your passing. I miss you every day.

It is your birthday today. We would be going out for Mexican food this evening. Oh, how I miss you. Always in my heart and mind.

Roz, thank you for reminding us that this is David's birthday today. We also miss his presence in our lives. He always had a way of engaging everyone in conversation and then of adding his special insights, most of which ended with some sort of a joke that was perfect for the situation. He had a repertoire of jokes and could pull them out at the drop of a hat. He also had such a love for the classics -- literature, music, art, history. He was a Renaissance Man -- that's for sure. We will always cherish his memory in this life and look forward to seeing him in heaven where all of his many questions have now been answered by the Lord.

We recently went to visit Henry and his family. While there, the memories came flooding back of our brother David who was basically the historian of our family. He remembered everything and never forgot the details. There was nothing like listening to David tell a story; he could make it come alive! Many times we would sit around our family dinner table and listen to him entertain the rest of us -- Madre, Padre, Henry/Harold (the twins), and me. We do miss David and his unique sense of humor, his ready laugh, and his twinkling eyes full of mischief. We believe toward the end of his life that he reached out to the Lord and that David now dwells in heaven for eternity where we will some day hear his laughter once again. 

It cannot be 5 years ago. I think of you every day and miss you so very much. When I go to a movie, I wish you were seated beside me and when I am down, I wish you were here to talk with. I love you.

Roslyn

I miss you. Wish we were going for Mexican food to celebrate your 81st.

Harold (David's brother) and I were just discussing how much beautiful music has meant to our family, including to David. Harold and David used to discuss various classical music selections, and Harold has tried very hard to learn to play many of them on the piano. Here is Arthur Rubinstein's Brahms Intermezzo, Op. 118, No. 2 in A Major The left hand and the right hand are doing completely separate chords, yet it all fits together in a truly melodious way. Brahms was such a master. We can enjoy this in memory of David as we think about the special times we spent with him. 
Arthur Rubinstein - Brahms Intermezzo, Op. 118, No. 2 in A major
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqBzK5tKFVc

I will always love you and miss you.

Always in my heart.

Roz, we also miss David. Waynie and I have started watching black and white movies over the last few months and have absolutely fallen in love with them. So often, we say that we wish we could talk to David about such and such regarding the script, the special effects, the historical background to the movie, and on and on.

This brings back such fond memories of David. He had many diverse interests and was truly a master of many of those. I remember him as a boy with his special genius and curiosity about myriads of topics. I shall never forget how much he loved dinosaurs, and he loved to draw pictures of all sorts of creatures. He loved Frankenstein, and his drawings were so funny. His room was in the basement which was his little kingdom, and he would come up the stairs with a look of pride as he brought us his latest creative drawing. 

As he got older, he and daddy loved to go shooting outside of Albuquerque; and the tales he would tell of their adventures were fun to hear. Guns always scared me, but he and Daddy loved to go shooting tin cans and such. Our family loved vacationing in Colorado, and Daddy with his three boys enjoyed searching out old mine shafts, railroad tracks, and things left behind from the past. Again, I always breathed a sigh of relief when they would come home after an expedition in which they had found some old mine shaft. I guess I was the coward, but I loved hearing their descriptions of their many adventures.

All of these experiences allowed David the freedom to shape his own hobbies. He loved beautiful music, great art, shopping, antique guns, literature, history, philosophy, telling funny stories as no one else could do, and ever so many interests that I know you and he shared together, Roz. You were a wonderful friend to him, and I can only imagine how much you miss those special times. We hope and pray you are adjusting to life and that you are getting a chance to enjoy your daughter, her family, and many friends.

It has been three years since you passed, dear companion. I miss you every day.

We miss our brother very much. David was such a unique person, with almost a child-like love for all things simple and beautiful. His sense of humor was like unto none, and he knew how to love deeply.

I miss my pal !!!

We can't believe it's been nearly a year since we joined Ann and Ros in helping to spread David's ashes on Sandia Peak.Hardly a day goes by without our thinking about him regarding something we see, read or hear. He is still sorely missed.

As Ann has said, David would have been totally enthralled over the various accomplishments of his children, Henry's family, Harold's professional life, and our children and grandchildren. I can just imagine the daily phones calls we would have shared. We always ended them with David saying something that made me laugh. Sweet memories of my dear brother...

Dear Dad,

Today you would have been 78 years old. It's been just over a year since we lost you and I'm still so damn sad. You missed a year that you would have loved: Logan and Emma starting college, being with us for Thanksgiving and in the parade or at least watching it as a VIP, and Patrick graduating college and being accepted to grad school. 

I am heading to Albuquerque this evening so that Roz and I can spread your ashes together at places in your beloved town that meant a lot to you and to us. It is my sincerest hope that you left this world knowing how loved you were.

Missing you and loving you always,
Ann

Roger and Susan, you were such wonderful friends to David. He often told me about the fun evenings that you spent together, enjoying common interests. Yes, we do miss my dear brother.

So glad to hear about your granddaughter starting her freshman year at Barnard College this fall -- I know you are very proud of her.

Hardly a day goes by that we don't think of David. Seldom has anyone had such a nearly instantaneous and enjoyable impact on our lives.

He is still dearly missed.

Note to Ann. Our granddaughter starts her freshman year at Barnard College in September. Another small coincidence.

Writing this could not be harder, because not enough can be said, in any amount of time or space, to honor my best friend.

We met in high school, and became buddies for the next 60+ years! His intellect and sense of humor were beacons of light to me. Even after we took our separate ways out of Albuquerque, we kept in touch.

He did, finally, move to L.A.for a few years. And I cherish the times we got together for our walks in the park (philosophical discussions, which were many times interrupted when a pretty lady walked by).

I, especially, remember his kindness and his love for all living creatures. He once told me that he would never kill a bug, unless it was necessary.

We agreed, in our last phone conversation, that "Reality'' is a dream. I feel, now, that he is, indeed, on a journey of many, many happy dreams!

There are so many things to appreciate about my dad. Most significantly for me was his ability to give unconditional love and support to me and my family. My dad listened patiently and attentively and helped me navigate through all the difficult times I’ve faced. My dad was always a safe place to go with the tough stuff and I so appreciated that I could tell him anything and trust that he would not judge but offer sage and constructive advice.

When I remarried and became a step-parent to two really terrific kids, Emma and Patrick, my dad embraced them as his own and delighted in having three grandchildren to dote on as best he could, never forgetting a birthday or special occasion and always sending a funny card and thoughtful gift even when he couldn’t afford it. His attentiveness meant so much to them and to me and Scott. All three kids enjoyed spending time with my dad when he came to visit and especially when we went to visit him and had some wonderful adventures in New Mexico. My dad’s capacity for love and fun was boundless and infectious. I miss him terribly!

Although we only knew David for about 2 years we were like long lost friends reconnecting after a long time apart. The friendship was almost instantaneous and hardly a conversation was had that we didn't discover something else we had in common. Whether it was our love of books, music, history, food, guns, even to discovering that our daughters were in the same graduating class together at U.C.L.A., we never knew what would we would discover next.
We are still trying to accept the fact that he is gone. Not a day goes by that we don't think or talk about him. He will always be with us.

I was happy to know David and was always touched by his excitement and zeal over life. He was so kind to shower us with gifts and love when we had our first child. We really appreciated that. We are sorry he is gone and will miss him when we visit Albuquerque.

~Amanda & Morgan Whitehouse

He was an excellent grandfather. He was always very supportive of me in all my endeavors. He was a great listener, we always had wonderful conversations. He never missed a holiday and always gave me the most meaningful gifts. He was a wonderful man, one of the smartest I've ever known. He will forever be missed and loved.

I never knew David really well except through Roslyn. But I always held his intellect in high esteem.
And he went the way I always knew he would: quietly, without a fuss and no formal farewells. I hope I can do the same.

David and I met in Ottawa when he was giving a lecture to teachers who were there for professional development .David and I started a conversation in the lunch line re an author of weird fiction ,H.P. Lovecraft. That was in the very early 70s. Over years and long distances we had this ongoing friendship which really enriched my life. David gave me wise counsel on more than one occasion and was always generous with what he had and with his time. We had a wonderful friendship based on our love of so many things:movies,books,target shooting, discussion of any and all things etc.etc.I supported him in his artistic pursuits and he in mine. .We had enthusiastically discussed a movie we had both seen just before his demise. I am saddened by his sudden departure and hope that in some way we will meet again.

I have known David for more than 40 years.
I know some of his most wonderful accomplishments.
I also know that the day he died, the world lost a very special man.
Let us never forget the lessons we learned from him, and choose to be better for having known him.
Our hearts are heavy at the loss of this wonderful person, but we can rejoice in the way that he chose to live, and in the knowledge that he did not squander the time he was given on this earth.
Forever In My Heart.

"Yet all who meet will someday meet again, for it is the destiny of all relationships to be made holy."

From: A COURSE IN MIRACLES

David was my friend for almost 43 years and my constant companion for the past 6 and 1/2 here in Albuquerque. He was a brilliant, quirky personality with a keen sense of humour and a mind that was ALWAYS "open at the top." My memories of him are indelible. In my early twenties, he took me to my first ballet, Giselle, at the London Little Theatre; my first live symphony concert at Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque and throughout the years generally mentored me away from a somewhat provincial worldview.
We were married for 4 years only but remained fast friends. I am missing our daily phone calls, sharing New Mexican dinners, attending movies and discussing our current opinions, discoveries and musings.
The most salient and remarkable feature of David's personality was his AGELESS enthusiasm for almost everything. It was contagious!
David was one of the most memorable and influential beings I have had the pleasure to know in my sojourn here so far. I am missing him deeply.

I love you, David.

Roslyn

This website is a wonderful tribute to David. Nothing would have pleased him more. He was such a unique and creative person, and these photos capture those many sides of him. Walking down memory lane has brought back a myriad of emotions as I remember his numerous hobbies, experiences, relationships, and joys. He was not only my brother but a best friend, and I loved his sense of humor. He brought much laughter into my life, and he was never without a joke or funny story that always seemed to fit the occasion. He was far from perfect, but then all of us are far from perfect. We loved him very much and shall cherish these memories of him for the remainder of our lives. His presence in our lives touched us all in many ways for which we can be very thankful.