Extracted from The Lufkin Daily News (Lufkin, TX)
Friday, May 7, 2010

Ward Rankin Burke

Celebration of Life services for Ward Rankin Burke, 94, of Lufkin will be held at 4 p.m. Monday, May 10, 2010, at Lufkin's First United Methodist Church. The main service will be in the Sanctuary with Reverend D. Nick Sholars, Senior Pastor, Reverend Mike Tyson, and Dr. Jack Shoultz officiating. Friends are invited to visit with the family members immediately following in the Youth and Worship Center until 7 p.m.

Mr. Burke was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years, Anna Belle Dill Burke. Together they contributed their talents to the creation and improvement of many local and state programs to improve the lives of mentally challenged individuals. They also dedicated their lives to helping improve access to education for students of all ages and backgrounds. Mr.

Burke was born January 30, 1916 in Burke, Texas and passed away on May 6, 2010. He graduated from Lufkin High School in 1933. He attended Stephen F. Austin State University and received his law degree from the University Of Texas School Of Law in 1939. He joined the Methodist Church around 1925 and was an active member of Lufkin's First United Methodist Church. He served the church in many capacities, including serving as a Chairman of the Administrative Board, Church School Superintendent, and Church School Teacher.

Mr. Burke served in the United States Marines for four years during World War II, and was overseas for 26 months. Mr. Burke was active in many civic and benevolent enterprises, and particularly in the services to persons subject to mental retardation or mental illness; he had been a member and Chairman of: The Former State Board of the Texas Department of Mental Health Mental Retardation; the Texas Council of Community MH-MR Centers; the Burke Center (formerly Deep East Texas MHMR Service). Mr. Burke was District Attorney for the (former) Second Judicial District of Texas, and had been a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas for more than seventy years. He represented Temple Inland for more than forty years. For many years, he was the Executive Secretary and one of the Trustees of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation.

Survivors include: daughters, Barbara Burke Smith of Houston, Marilyn Burke Wong and son-in-law Jim Wong, both of Humble and Betsy Elaine Burke of Lufkin; grandson, Ben Smith and wife Sara; and four great-grandchildren.

The family would like to extend gratitude and appreciation to everyone in the community for their support of the Burke Family through the years.

Both Mr. Burke and his beloved wife, Anna Belle, lovingly put their stamp of creation and leadership into programs that enabled others to live better lives. Thus, the family asks that in lieu of food and/or flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice. Memorials may also be made to Lufkin's First United Methodist Church, 805 E. Denman Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75904-4829; to the Lufkin Workshop and Opportunity Center, Inc., 1305 Tulane Drive, Lufkin, Texas 75901-4843 ; or to a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com. Gipson Funeral Home; directors