Dolores Burke

Dolores E Burke, 101, of Woodstock, passed away on April 27, 2023, in Geneva, surrounded by her loving family. She was born at home in Volo on August 31, 1921, the eldest of three daughters of John J and Josephine E (Krapf) Wagner. On May 22, 1946, she married George M Burke of Woodstock at St. Peter Catholic Church, Volo. The couple enjoyed almost 70 years of marriage until his death on December 22, 2015.

Dolores attended St. Peter School, Volo, and graduated from McHenry High School. She was the last surviving member of McHenry High School Class of 1939. While in high school, she was employed as a bookkeeper at the McHenry Ice Cream Company. After high school and until she married, she was employed as the office manager for Lennon Beverage, a Schlitz Beer distributor, located in Volo.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Margaret Wagner and Elizabeth “Betty” (Roy) Stackhouse; two sons, John Burke and William Burke; a daughter, Joanne Verkin; a grandson, Timothy Burke; a granddaughter, Brigid (Michael) Buzzard; and a son-in-law, Henry Sugden III.

Dolores is survived by two sons, Patrick (Wendy) Burke, Woodstock, and Richard (Leslie) Burke, Geneva; two daughters, Mary Sugden, Woodstock, and Monica (Richard) Hess, St. Charles; her grandchildren, Daniel (Aimee) Burke, Shane (Sara) Burke, Joseph (Heather) Burke, Erin (Travis) Slepcevich, Katrina Burke, Henry Sugden IV, Elizabeth Sugden, Mary Frances Sugden (fiancé James Stratton), Garrett (Valerie) Hess, Allison Hess, Michael Burke (finacee Kristen Letten), Mary Kate (Joseph) Fabich, Eileen Burke, and Anna Burke; 12 great-grandchildren, Gideon, Mackay, Teagan, Dylan, Allison, Jillian, Alyssa, Natalie, Ian, Quinn, Milliani and Bennett; two daughters-in-law, Marsha Burke, Concord NC, and Joan Burke, DeKalb; a son-in-law, William Verkin, Woodstock; and her many beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Thursday, May 11, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Schneider-Leucht-Merwin-Cooney Funeral Home, 1211 N Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, with a Prayer Service at the funeral home at 6:00 pm. A Funeral Mass will be offered on Friday, May 12, 2023, at 10:30 am at St. Mary Catholic Church, 312 Lincoln Street, Woodstock. Interment at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Woodstock, will follow.

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