James J. Carolan Burke, 75, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died Thursday, June 16, 2022, at his home. A visitation will be held from 5 - 7 p.m. with a vigil service beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 19, 2022, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 20, 2022, at St. Jude Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, with Fr. Mark Murphy officiating. Burial will follow at St. John’s Cemetery in Cedar Rapids.
Jim was born September 20, 1946, in Cresco, Iowa, the son of Geraldine and Clement Carolan; Clement died in a hunting accident when Jim was three years old. His mother then married Richard Burke years later. Jim was in the first graduating class of LaSalle High School and then went on to attend St. Gregory’s in Oklahoma “for further punishment,” in Jim’s words. He married Susan Havlicek in St. Wenceslaus Church in 1972 and never saw a checkbook again.
Jim spent most of his career working in purchasing, he loved spending each boss’s monies at Clyde Industries, Lefebure, and Terry-Durin. He loved being a member of St. Jude Catholic Church. Jim enjoyed kayaking, fishing, grilling, and spending time with his family and friends. Jim’s wish is that you may get to enjoy at least half the love he received in his life, and then you would have been loved abundantly.
Survivors include his beloved wife, Susan Burke of Cedar Rapids; his beautiful daughter, Jennifer (Scott) Kositzky of Cedar Rapids; sisters, Judy (Robert) Rieck and Kathrine Cooley of Waterloo, Iowa; brothers, Tom (Kelly) Burke of Bend, Oregon, and Greg Burke of Washburn, Iowa; grandson, Zane; granddaughter, Kinzey; and many beautiful aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; nephews, Austin and Adam Burke; and best friends, Frank Lillis and Ken Schriner.
Memorials may be directed to St. Jude Catholic Church.
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