William Russell Burke

William Russell Burke passed away on Monday, April 3, 2023 peacefully at home in Montesano, WA surrounded by his family.

William was born on January 15, 1930 to Russell Edward and Myrtle Marshall Burke in White River, South Dakota. He lived in White River for 30 years and graduated from White River in 1948. He moved to Washington State in 1960.

William was a rancher after graduation and then went on to work for the Department ofTransportation in South Dakota. Also following graduation in 1948, he played the drums for “The Buddy Bear Big Band” in S.D.

He drummed in various bands, Odds & Ends, Wise Guys, Band of Gold and Golden Memories in Washington state. William married Grace Ellen Trautman in Rapid City, South Dakota on December 30, 1948. After moving to Montesano in 1960, he worked for Weyerhaeuser up until retiring in 1987. In Montesano, he was a member of St. Johns Catholic Church, the Musicians Union, the Montesano Active Club and the Aberdeen Elks Club.

William loved the lake, fishing, clam digging, and ocean fishing. He loved to bowl and was even on league teams. He loved to play crib and watch his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids play sports. William enjoyed watching golf, The Mariners, and The Seahawks. William and his wife were snowbirds in California and Arizona for 25 years. After Grace passed in 2016, William enjoyed traveling to Desert Hot Springs with his daughter Kim and son-in-law Allen for 6 years. He enjoyed dancing on Saturday nights and was the ball-shagger for the volleyball team. William also had a dam right outside of his hometown of White River named after him — “The Billy Burke Dam,” where some of his ashes will be scattered.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Shelly Grahn and Marlene Muller for their wonderful caregiving, and also to his nurse Kim Royer, Dr. Y. K. Shin and staff at MontesanoInternal Medicine.

William is preceded in death by his wife Grace; parents Russell Edward Burke and Myrtle Burke Valine; and sister Patty Stoddard. He is survived by his sons Terry L. (Julie D.) Burke of Elma, WA; Rick E. Burke of Montesano, WA; and Russell E. (Julie T.) Burke of Montesano, WA; daughter Kim (Allen) Crites of Olympia, WA; 8 grandchildren Lisa Beck, Curtis Crites, Jill Arch, Lindsey Birdsall, Daniel Brumfield, Dustin Burke, Megan Hoak, and Ryan Burke and 8 great-grandchildren Diego Orozco, Carter Crites, Toren Crites, Blakely Crites, Max Beck, Evie Birdsall, Jesse Junior Birdsall, and Lottie Birdsall; sister Janet Burtzlaff of Friendswood, TX; several nieces and nephews including his very special nephew Joe Stoddard of Norris, S.D; also his cousin Glenn Burke of Tumwater, WA.

A graveside service will be held for William on Thursday, May 11th at 11 a.m. at Wynooche Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will follow from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Montesano Moose Lodge. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the charity of your choice.