January 25, 1916 - June 27, 2008
Harry E. Burke, Sr., was born January 25, 1916, in Crockett County, TN, to Robert Burnes and Jossie Lowrance Burke. His dad worked as an interior decorator for years and taught his boys the trade. He later opened a country store that he ran until he retired. His mother was a homemaker who was very active in the community, helping anyone who needed help.
Harry was the youngest of five children. He had two brothers: Robert Randell and William Daniel (better known as W.D.). Robert followed his dad as an interior decorator. W.D. became a minister. He also had two sisters: Irene and Gertrude. They were both homemakers.
Preaching ran in the family. Harry's fourth great uncle was William Burke, who was born in 1770. At the age of 21 he started preaching and traveled on horseback to Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio. It took him three or four weeks to make his rounds. He served as the first secretary of the Western Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1800 to 1811. He served with Bishops Asbury and McKendree. In October of 1803 Bishop Asbury appointed him to form a new district and act as Presiding Elder. In the fall of 1805, he was appointed to the Kentucky District. ln 1809 he was a member of the committee that drafted the constitution, or Restrictive Rules, of the Church. In 1811 he was appointed to Cincinnati Station, the first station in Ohio and one which he organized. Rev. William Burkes died in Ohio about three weeks before his 85th birthday.
Harry went to school in Friendship, TN, and graduated from Wayne County High School. He attended Emory University in Georgia for two weeks during the summers for three for four years. He married Catherine Camp in 1935. They had one son, Harry, Jr. She passed away in 1938. He then married Estelle Whitehead. They had five children: Jerry, William Richard (Bill), Tom, Edd, and Suzanne. In 1987 he married Thelma Anderson, who had three children: Jimmy, John Allen, and Linda. Harry liked to sing and sang in a number of groups. He also liked to fish, hunt, and garden.
His first church was in Middle Tennessee at Lutts. He moved back to West Tennessee and served churches in Obion and Tipton Counties. He then moved to Lexington, TN, in 1953 and served five churches in the Lexington District: Nebo, New Bethel. Shady Grove, New Hope, and Poplar Springs. In 1954, with one paid helper and the help of church members, he built a new church. In 1956 he moved to Edith, TN, where he served two churches. In 1958 he moved to Jasper, Arkansas, to pastor the First Methodist Church there. He then moved back to West Tennessee and served churches in Carroll and Haywood Counties. After his retirement he preached at different churches when asked. The last churches he served part-time were: Bethlehem, Mt. Vernon, and Mt. Vinson, where he helped build a new fellowship hall. He had to give up these churches due to bad health.
He passed away at age 92 on Friday, June 27,2008, at Westwood Health care Center in Decaturville, TN. Funeral services were held Monday, June 30, 2008, at Reed Chapel in Lexington, TN, with the Rev. Jerry Hassell officiating. Burial followed in the Lexington Cemetery.
- Harry E. Burke, Jr.
As Printed in the Memphis conference Journal of the United Methodist Church 2008
Harry E. Burke, Sr., was born January 25, 1916, in Crockett County, TN, to Robert Burnes and Jossie Lowrance Burke. His dad worked as an interior decorator for years and taught his boys the trade. He later opened a country store that he ran until he retired. His mother was a homemaker who was very active in the community, helping anyone who needed help.
Harry was the youngest of five children. He had two brothers: Robert Randell and William Daniel (better known as W.D.). Robert followed his dad as an interior decorator. W.D. became a minister. He also had two sisters: Irene and Gertrude. They were both homemakers.
Preaching ran in the family. Harry's fourth great uncle was William Burke, who was born in 1770. At the age of 21 he started preaching and traveled on horseback to Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio. It took him three or four weeks to make his rounds. He served as the first secretary of the Western Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1800 to 1811. He served with Bishops Asbury and McKendree. In October of 1803 Bishop Asbury appointed him to form a new district and act as Presiding Elder. In the fall of 1805, he was appointed to the Kentucky District. ln 1809 he was a member of the committee that drafted the constitution, or Restrictive Rules, of the Church. In 1811 he was appointed to Cincinnati Station, the first station in Ohio and one which he organized. Rev. William Burkes died in Ohio about three weeks before his 85th birthday.
Harry went to school in Friendship, TN, and graduated from Wayne County High School. He attended Emory University in Georgia for two weeks during the summers for three for four years. He married Catherine Camp in 1935. They had one son, Harry, Jr. She passed away in 1938. He then married Estelle Whitehead. They had five children: Jerry, William Richard (Bill), Tom, Edd, and Suzanne. In 1987 he married Thelma Anderson, who had three children: Jimmy, John Allen, and Linda. Harry liked to sing and sang in a number of groups. He also liked to fish, hunt, and garden.
His first church was in Middle Tennessee at Lutts. He moved back to West Tennessee and served churches in Obion and Tipton Counties. He then moved to Lexington, TN, in 1953 and served five churches in the Lexington District: Nebo, New Bethel. Shady Grove, New Hope, and Poplar Springs. In 1954, with one paid helper and the help of church members, he built a new church. In 1956 he moved to Edith, TN, where he served two churches. In 1958 he moved to Jasper, Arkansas, to pastor the First Methodist Church there. He then moved back to West Tennessee and served churches in Carroll and Haywood Counties. After his retirement he preached at different churches when asked. The last churches he served part-time were: Bethlehem, Mt. Vernon, and Mt. Vinson, where he helped build a new fellowship hall. He had to give up these churches due to bad health.
He passed away at age 92 on Friday, June 27,2008, at Westwood Health care Center in Decaturville, TN. Funeral services were held Monday, June 30, 2008, at Reed Chapel in Lexington, TN, with the Rev. Jerry Hassell officiating. Burial followed in the Lexington Cemetery.
- Harry E. Burke, Jr.
As Printed in the Memphis conference Journal of the United Methodist Church 2008
January 25, 1916 - June 27, 2008
Harry E. Burke, Sr., was born January 25, 1916, in Crockett County, TN, to Robert Burnes and Jossie Lowrance Burke. His dad worked as an interior decorator for years and taught his boys the trade. He later opened a country store that he ran until he retired. His mother was a homemaker who was very active in the community, helping anyone who needed help.
Harry was the youngest of five children. He had two brothers: Robert Randell and William Daniel (better known as W.D.). Robert followed his dad as an interior decorator. W.D. became a minister. He also had two sisters: Irene and Gertrude. They were both homemakers.
Preaching ran in the family. Harry's fourth great uncle was William Burke, who was born in 1770. At the age of 21 he started preaching and traveled on horseback to Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio. It took him three or four weeks to make his rounds. He served as the first secretary of the Western Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1800 to 1811. He served with Bishops Asbury and McKendree. In October of 1803 Bishop Asbury appointed him to form a new district and act as Presiding Elder. In the fall of 1805, he was appointed to the Kentucky District. ln 1809 he was a member of the committee that drafted the constitution, or Restrictive Rules, of the Church. In 1811 he was appointed to Cincinnati Station, the first station in Ohio and one which he organized. Rev. William Burkes died in Ohio about three weeks before his 85th birthday.
Harry went to school in Friendship, TN, and graduated from Wayne County High School. He attended Emory University in Georgia for two weeks during the summers for three for four years. He married Catherine Camp in 1935. They had one son, Harry, Jr. She passed away in 1938. He then married Estelle Whitehead. They had five children: Jerry, William Richard (Bill), Tom, Edd, and Suzanne. In 1987 he married Thelma Anderson, who had three children: Jimmy, John Allen, and Linda. Harry liked to sing and sang in a number of groups. He also liked to fish, hunt, and garden.
His first church was in Middle Tennessee at Lutts. He moved back to West Tennessee and served churches in Obion and Tipton Counties. He then moved to Lexington, TN, in 1953 and served five churches in the Lexington District: Nebo, New Bethel. Shady Grove, New Hope, and Poplar Springs. In 1954, with one paid helper and the help of church members, he built a new church. In 1956 he moved to Edith, TN, where he served two churches. In 1958 he moved to Jasper, Arkansas, to pastor the First Methodist Church there. He then moved back to West Tennessee and served churches in Carroll and Haywood Counties. After his retirement he preached at different churches when asked. The last churches he served part-time were: Bethlehem, Mt. Vernon, and Mt. Vinson, where he helped build a new fellowship hall. He had to give up these churches due to bad health.
He passed away at age 92 on Friday, June 27,2008, at Westwood Health care Center in Decaturville, TN. Funeral services were held Monday, June 30, 2008, at Reed Chapel in Lexington, TN, with the Rev. Jerry Hassell officiating. Burial followed in the Lexington Cemetery.
- Harry E. Burke, Jr.
As Printed in the Memphis conference Journal of the United Methodist Church 2008
Harry E. Burke, Sr., was born January 25, 1916, in Crockett County, TN, to Robert Burnes and Jossie Lowrance Burke. His dad worked as an interior decorator for years and taught his boys the trade. He later opened a country store that he ran until he retired. His mother was a homemaker who was very active in the community, helping anyone who needed help.
Harry was the youngest of five children. He had two brothers: Robert Randell and William Daniel (better known as W.D.). Robert followed his dad as an interior decorator. W.D. became a minister. He also had two sisters: Irene and Gertrude. They were both homemakers.
Preaching ran in the family. Harry's fourth great uncle was William Burke, who was born in 1770. At the age of 21 he started preaching and traveled on horseback to Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio. It took him three or four weeks to make his rounds. He served as the first secretary of the Western Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1800 to 1811. He served with Bishops Asbury and McKendree. In October of 1803 Bishop Asbury appointed him to form a new district and act as Presiding Elder. In the fall of 1805, he was appointed to the Kentucky District. ln 1809 he was a member of the committee that drafted the constitution, or Restrictive Rules, of the Church. In 1811 he was appointed to Cincinnati Station, the first station in Ohio and one which he organized. Rev. William Burkes died in Ohio about three weeks before his 85th birthday.
Harry went to school in Friendship, TN, and graduated from Wayne County High School. He attended Emory University in Georgia for two weeks during the summers for three for four years. He married Catherine Camp in 1935. They had one son, Harry, Jr. She passed away in 1938. He then married Estelle Whitehead. They had five children: Jerry, William Richard (Bill), Tom, Edd, and Suzanne. In 1987 he married Thelma Anderson, who had three children: Jimmy, John Allen, and Linda. Harry liked to sing and sang in a number of groups. He also liked to fish, hunt, and garden.
His first church was in Middle Tennessee at Lutts. He moved back to West Tennessee and served churches in Obion and Tipton Counties. He then moved to Lexington, TN, in 1953 and served five churches in the Lexington District: Nebo, New Bethel. Shady Grove, New Hope, and Poplar Springs. In 1954, with one paid helper and the help of church members, he built a new church. In 1956 he moved to Edith, TN, where he served two churches. In 1958 he moved to Jasper, Arkansas, to pastor the First Methodist Church there. He then moved back to West Tennessee and served churches in Carroll and Haywood Counties. After his retirement he preached at different churches when asked. The last churches he served part-time were: Bethlehem, Mt. Vernon, and Mt. Vinson, where he helped build a new fellowship hall. He had to give up these churches due to bad health.
He passed away at age 92 on Friday, June 27,2008, at Westwood Health care Center in Decaturville, TN. Funeral services were held Monday, June 30, 2008, at Reed Chapel in Lexington, TN, with the Rev. Jerry Hassell officiating. Burial followed in the Lexington Cemetery.
- Harry E. Burke, Jr.
As Printed in the Memphis conference Journal of the United Methodist Church 2008
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