I’m sad to report that Tom Burke has passed away. For those that never met him, he was a vital part of reorganizing & revitalizing CRC. Tom was the one responsible for putting together the plan for the original lake weed treatment. Without his expertise I believe Congamond would still be infested with Milfoil. Tom fought a long and hard battle with cancer. We all kept hoping he would beat it and return to CRC activities, but that was not to be. He quietly kept to himself and fought silently.

He will be missed!

Jerry Crane

http://www.legacy.com/hartfordcourant/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=123378286

BURKE, Thomas E. Thomas E. Burke, 62, departed this earthly life on Sunday (January 25, 2009). He is survived by his mother, Julia (Yonika) Burke; his brother, Richard Burke; his sisters, Nancy Clark, and her husband, John; and Francine Burke Guiheen; his niece, Kimberly Boynton, and her children, Dylan and Cayden; and his nephew, Kenneth Chitjian. He was predeceased by his father, Edward Burke. He also leaves two aunts, many cousins and their families. Tom graduated from South Windsor High School in 1964. Tom served in the United States Air Force as a Sergeant, in Las Vegas, NV. He was honorably discharged in 1971. He attended Northeastern University in Boston, where he earned his Engineering degree in 1973. He lived, at various times, in Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. Tom held some interesting jobs, such as a taxicab driver in Boston, a hearse driver in New Hampshire and a manager of a Pizza Hut in Ohio. However, he was mainly employed in the engineering world, as a Nuclear Engineer for Combustion Engineering in Windsor, for many years. He was most recently employed by, and retired from, The Department of Environmental Protection in Hartford. Tom was a member of The Lakes Association of South Pond/ Congamond Lakes, where he had held the title of Director of Pond Ecology. His hobbies included intellectual reading, computer activities, cooking, gardening, cross-country skiing, sail boating, and being involved in The Lake Association's activities. At one point, during his younger years, he hitchhiked across the United States, just for the adventure of it. He also once owned an original "Sunbeam Tiger" convertible, belonging to an elite auto club. Tom was quite intelligent, knowing his way around a chessboard, always coming out on top of trivia and question and answer games, playing a keen card game of set-back, and solving difficult crossword puzzles. He was also a fan of the women's UCONN Huskies.

 At Tom's request, there were no services.