Ilene Mary Burke

Ilene Mary Burke, age 93 of Venice, Florida passed away peacefully in her home at Bella Vita on September 24, 2018. She was born August 13, 1925 to Paul Pokryfki and Susan Kott-Pokryfki, the youngest of 8 children, 5 girls and 3 boys. She was raised in Detroit, Michigan and was orphaned when her father died early when she was only 3 months old. Her widowed mother raised all 8 children by herself with the help of family and friends and volunteering her time at St. Leo’s Catholic Church to enable all 8 children to receive a Catholic elementary school education. She completed high school followed by secretarial school where she received a certificate. She went on to have a successful career as an executive secretary for Mobil Corporation retiring after 30 years in her early 50s. Ilene married William Burke October 28th 1966. They enjoyed a busy life together for 42 years snow-birding between 2 residences, one in Brown City, Michigan and the other in Venice until they settled full time in Venice in the late 1980’s. She was always adventurous and loved to travel all over the world visiting nearly all European and Central/South American countries. Her favorite trip was with her sister to the Soviet Union while it was still a communist country. Her last trip abroad was to Jerusalem with her church in 2016. When she wasn’t travelling she was baking, sewing, painting, exercising, and serving at her parish, Epiphany Cathedral. Ilene was one of the original organizers of the Bird Bay Artists Group in the 1970s. Besides being an accomplished watercolor artist, Ilene loved music and was an avid theater and concert aficionado. She never missed a season at the Venice Little theater and the 2018 fall season was no exception. Ilene served in many church ministries to include being an usher, an Arimathean, gift shop saleswoman, choir member and member of the Council of Catholic Women. She was a gifted baker and would contribute her sweet goodies to many charitable events. Because of her hard work and self-less dedication, Ilene was named Catholic Woman of the Year in 2016. She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends across the United States and at Bird Bay. Although Ilene never had children of her own, she managed to love and maintain contact with over 40 nieces and nephews throughout her entire life. She traveled to see many of them located across the U.S., two as far away as Alaska. She never missed a holiday or birthday touching each of them with her unique hand-made greeting cards which she created from her own artwork. A memorial mass will take place October 26th at 10 AM in Epiphany Cathedral, Venice FL. To honor Ilene’s memory, some of her artwork will be displayed at the Arts & Crafts Fair in January and the Woodcarvers & Artists Show in March of 2019.

Tributes

Ilene Mary Burke

August 13, 1925 - September 24, 2018