Bernell Burke RIP

Marie LaFreniere · Post by **Marie LaFreniere** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 1:22 pm

Anna Bernell (Greene) Burke, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, caregiver, bread-baker and quilt- maker extraordinaire died June 26, 2013, after battling the effects of Parkinsonâ??s disease for several years. Bernell was born on December 20. 1922, on Beaver Island, Michigan, to Anthony and Mary Greene. She married her childhood next door neighbor, Patrick Burke, on the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7, 1950, in Chicago. They left city life and purchased a farm in Breedsville, Michigan, in 1963. â??The Farmâ? was the site of many lively gatherings of family and friends. In 1976 they moved to Ludington, Michigan. The light and laughter in Bernellâ??s eyes dimmed when Pat preceded her in death in 2000, one day after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. In 2005 Bernell moved to the noisy home of her daughter Mary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bernell is survived by her children, Donna (Kim) Harvey and Mary (Mike) Faber; her grandchildren, Lee (Tara) Coy, Jessica Coy, Douglas Coy, Jason (Alisha) Coy, Hannah Faber, Nick Faber, Moriah Faber, Michaela Faber, Clare Faber, and Burke Faber; six great-grandchildren; her brother, Anthony (Betty) Greene; her sisters, Rose Connaghan, Lill Left, and Mary Margaret (Ed) Breden; her sister-in-law Pat Greene; and many nieces and nephews, including very special goddaughter Mary Beth Nelson. Bernellâ??s brothers, Dan, Hubert, Russell, and Peter, and sister Francis, preceded her in death. A Mass of Christian Burial and Committal Service will be celebrated Monday 10:30 am at St. Anthony Of Padua Church where she will repose one hour prior to the Mass. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery Beaver Island. Her family will receive visitors Sunday 2-4 and 7-9 pm at the Arsulowicz Brothers Remembrance Mortuary, 3525 Remembrance NW where a Rosary will be prayed Sunday at 8:30 pm. Masses in Bernells memory or memorials to St. Anthony of Padua Church will be appreciated.

Marie LaFreniere · Post by **Marie LaFreniere** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:01 pm

I've been told Bernell is being brought over on Tuesday's 8:30 a.m. boat and will be taken directly to the cemetery.

Sheri Timsak · Post by **Sheri Timsak** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 9:20 pm

What a sweet woman! She will be missed!

Post by **Gillespie** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 11:03 pm

Bernell's son in law Mike gave as good a talk as anyone would ever see and hear today at her graveside service. If you didn't know this grand old gal you did by the time he was done and how it even affected our new Priest, Father Jim. Mike, you sure caught her personality! I heard that her daughter, your wife, Mary, did the same in Grand Rapids! Good for all of you and good for Bernell that she had people paying attention! We are so lost today for that; most are so self absorbed they just don't realize that their turn in the very same way is coming! Thank you so much for sharing your stories and the incredible life of a very normal person in real world terms, in terms of her humanity she was beyond all that. I believe it grounded many who were listening and many more should have heard your talk!