Beverly F. "Bebe" Burke passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at home surrounded by family and close friends. She was 89.
Bebe was the 4th generation of a local pioneer family, a patriotic member of the "Greatest Generation" and a bright and shining light to all who knew her. She was born in Bakersfield, CA to Harry and Vyvian Rinker in 1925. The family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii when she was the age of 1. Her athleticism most likely began as she learned to walk aboard ship during the 7 day passage. Bebe was very close to her family, adoring her parents and older brother Harry. The family returned to the mainland in 1932, living in Carmel and San Jose before settling again in Bakersfield.
Bebe attended Emerson Junior High School, Kern County Union High School and Bakersfield College. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1947 and received her teaching credential the following year. She taught the first grade in Oakland and Jefferson Elementary School in Bakersfield before marrying her high school sweetheart, Jim Burke, who would later become a successful Ford dealer.
Jim and Bebe were married 56 years and were inseparable up until his death in 2006. They had 1 daughter and loved entertaining friends at their homes in Bakersfield and Carpinteria, California. Bebe was an avid golfer, scoring 3 holes in one, as well as an accomplished gardener and bridge player. One of her many talents was reciting any poem or song from memory. She was especially fond of Robert Louis Stevenson, and her favorite was "The Lamplighter".
Bebe's daughter, 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren were the love of her life. Throughout her life Bebe's compassionate and giving nature made a difference in the Bakersfield community. She was an active member of Junior League of Bakersfield, Blue Ribbon Circle and the Town and Country Garden Club. Bebe served on the Foundation Board of the Kern High School District, Ready to Start, Youth Connection and the Stars-Bakersfield Music Theatre. Her true passion was to benefit youth, and for many years spent every Wednesday morning at Franklin Elementary School reading to students as a part of the Community Reading Project. Bebe's spirit of love and kindness will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her warm smile and joyful heart, charm, positive attitude and wisdom created friends for a lifetime. Her legacy continues through them.
Bebe was preceded in death by her parents and brother. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, 4 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and a niece and 2 nephews.
The family would like to thank her caregivers for their kind and faithful service, the staff of Around the Clock Care, staff of Medical Advocacy and Planning and her Doctor who provided Bebe with excellent advice and medical care for which the family is most appreciative. Special thanks to the staff and home nurses of Hoffman Hospice who helped Bebe transition to a new life with grace and dignity.
Bebe was always a teacher at heart and passionate about children. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Jim Burke Education Foundation, PO Box 2686, Bakersfield, CA 93303.
Services will be held on Friday, March 20, 2015 at 2:30pm at St. Francis Church on H Street. Monsignor Craig Harrison will officiate. A reception will follow to celebrate a life well lived.
Full obituary in The Bakersfield Californian on March 13 to 15, 2015.
Bebe was the 4th generation of a local pioneer family, a patriotic member of the "Greatest Generation" and a bright and shining light to all who knew her. She was born in Bakersfield, CA to Harry and Vyvian Rinker in 1925. The family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii when she was the age of 1. Her athleticism most likely began as she learned to walk aboard ship during the 7 day passage. Bebe was very close to her family, adoring her parents and older brother Harry. The family returned to the mainland in 1932, living in Carmel and San Jose before settling again in Bakersfield.
Bebe attended Emerson Junior High School, Kern County Union High School and Bakersfield College. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1947 and received her teaching credential the following year. She taught the first grade in Oakland and Jefferson Elementary School in Bakersfield before marrying her high school sweetheart, Jim Burke, who would later become a successful Ford dealer.
Jim and Bebe were married 56 years and were inseparable up until his death in 2006. They had 1 daughter and loved entertaining friends at their homes in Bakersfield and Carpinteria, California. Bebe was an avid golfer, scoring 3 holes in one, as well as an accomplished gardener and bridge player. One of her many talents was reciting any poem or song from memory. She was especially fond of Robert Louis Stevenson, and her favorite was "The Lamplighter".
Bebe's daughter, 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren were the love of her life. Throughout her life Bebe's compassionate and giving nature made a difference in the Bakersfield community. She was an active member of Junior League of Bakersfield, Blue Ribbon Circle and the Town and Country Garden Club. Bebe served on the Foundation Board of the Kern High School District, Ready to Start, Youth Connection and the Stars-Bakersfield Music Theatre. Her true passion was to benefit youth, and for many years spent every Wednesday morning at Franklin Elementary School reading to students as a part of the Community Reading Project. Bebe's spirit of love and kindness will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her warm smile and joyful heart, charm, positive attitude and wisdom created friends for a lifetime. Her legacy continues through them.
Bebe was preceded in death by her parents and brother. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, 4 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and a niece and 2 nephews.
The family would like to thank her caregivers for their kind and faithful service, the staff of Around the Clock Care, staff of Medical Advocacy and Planning and her Doctor who provided Bebe with excellent advice and medical care for which the family is most appreciative. Special thanks to the staff and home nurses of Hoffman Hospice who helped Bebe transition to a new life with grace and dignity.
Bebe was always a teacher at heart and passionate about children. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Jim Burke Education Foundation, PO Box 2686, Bakersfield, CA 93303.
Services will be held on Friday, March 20, 2015 at 2:30pm at St. Francis Church on H Street. Monsignor Craig Harrison will officiate. A reception will follow to celebrate a life well lived.
Full obituary in The Bakersfield Californian on March 13 to 15, 2015.
Beverly F. "Bebe" Burke passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at home surrounded by family and close friends. She was 89.
Bebe was the 4th generation of a local pioneer family, a patriotic member of the "Greatest Generation" and a bright and shining light to all who knew her. She was born in Bakersfield, CA to Harry and Vyvian Rinker in 1925. The family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii when she was the age of 1. Her athleticism most likely began as she learned to walk aboard ship during the 7 day passage. Bebe was very close to her family, adoring her parents and older brother Harry. The family returned to the mainland in 1932, living in Carmel and San Jose before settling again in Bakersfield.
Bebe attended Emerson Junior High School, Kern County Union High School and Bakersfield College. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1947 and received her teaching credential the following year. She taught the first grade in Oakland and Jefferson Elementary School in Bakersfield before marrying her high school sweetheart, Jim Burke, who would later become a successful Ford dealer.
Jim and Bebe were married 56 years and were inseparable up until his death in 2006. They had 1 daughter and loved entertaining friends at their homes in Bakersfield and Carpinteria, California. Bebe was an avid golfer, scoring 3 holes in one, as well as an accomplished gardener and bridge player. One of her many talents was reciting any poem or song from memory. She was especially fond of Robert Louis Stevenson, and her favorite was "The Lamplighter".
Bebe's daughter, 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren were the love of her life. Throughout her life Bebe's compassionate and giving nature made a difference in the Bakersfield community. She was an active member of Junior League of Bakersfield, Blue Ribbon Circle and the Town and Country Garden Club. Bebe served on the Foundation Board of the Kern High School District, Ready to Start, Youth Connection and the Stars-Bakersfield Music Theatre. Her true passion was to benefit youth, and for many years spent every Wednesday morning at Franklin Elementary School reading to students as a part of the Community Reading Project. Bebe's spirit of love and kindness will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her warm smile and joyful heart, charm, positive attitude and wisdom created friends for a lifetime. Her legacy continues through them.
Bebe was preceded in death by her parents and brother. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, 4 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and a niece and 2 nephews.
The family would like to thank her caregivers for their kind and faithful service, the staff of Around the Clock Care, staff of Medical Advocacy and Planning and her Doctor who provided Bebe with excellent advice and medical care for which the family is most appreciative. Special thanks to the staff and home nurses of Hoffman Hospice who helped Bebe transition to a new life with grace and dignity.
Bebe was always a teacher at heart and passionate about children. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Jim Burke Education Foundation, PO Box 2686, Bakersfield, CA 93303.
Services will be held on Friday, March 20, 2015 at 2:30pm at St. Francis Church on H Street. Monsignor Craig Harrison will officiate. A reception will follow to celebrate a life well lived.
Full obituary in The Bakersfield Californian on March 13 to 15, 2015.
Bebe was the 4th generation of a local pioneer family, a patriotic member of the "Greatest Generation" and a bright and shining light to all who knew her. She was born in Bakersfield, CA to Harry and Vyvian Rinker in 1925. The family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii when she was the age of 1. Her athleticism most likely began as she learned to walk aboard ship during the 7 day passage. Bebe was very close to her family, adoring her parents and older brother Harry. The family returned to the mainland in 1932, living in Carmel and San Jose before settling again in Bakersfield.
Bebe attended Emerson Junior High School, Kern County Union High School and Bakersfield College. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1947 and received her teaching credential the following year. She taught the first grade in Oakland and Jefferson Elementary School in Bakersfield before marrying her high school sweetheart, Jim Burke, who would later become a successful Ford dealer.
Jim and Bebe were married 56 years and were inseparable up until his death in 2006. They had 1 daughter and loved entertaining friends at their homes in Bakersfield and Carpinteria, California. Bebe was an avid golfer, scoring 3 holes in one, as well as an accomplished gardener and bridge player. One of her many talents was reciting any poem or song from memory. She was especially fond of Robert Louis Stevenson, and her favorite was "The Lamplighter".
Bebe's daughter, 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren were the love of her life. Throughout her life Bebe's compassionate and giving nature made a difference in the Bakersfield community. She was an active member of Junior League of Bakersfield, Blue Ribbon Circle and the Town and Country Garden Club. Bebe served on the Foundation Board of the Kern High School District, Ready to Start, Youth Connection and the Stars-Bakersfield Music Theatre. Her true passion was to benefit youth, and for many years spent every Wednesday morning at Franklin Elementary School reading to students as a part of the Community Reading Project. Bebe's spirit of love and kindness will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her warm smile and joyful heart, charm, positive attitude and wisdom created friends for a lifetime. Her legacy continues through them.
Bebe was preceded in death by her parents and brother. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, 4 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and a niece and 2 nephews.
The family would like to thank her caregivers for their kind and faithful service, the staff of Around the Clock Care, staff of Medical Advocacy and Planning and her Doctor who provided Bebe with excellent advice and medical care for which the family is most appreciative. Special thanks to the staff and home nurses of Hoffman Hospice who helped Bebe transition to a new life with grace and dignity.
Bebe was always a teacher at heart and passionate about children. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Jim Burke Education Foundation, PO Box 2686, Bakersfield, CA 93303.
Services will be held on Friday, March 20, 2015 at 2:30pm at St. Francis Church on H Street. Monsignor Craig Harrison will officiate. A reception will follow to celebrate a life well lived.
Full obituary in The Bakersfield Californian on March 13 to 15, 2015.
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