Obituary of Marie E. (Nelson) Burke

Marie E. (Nelson) Burke, 81, of Peabody, died Saturday afternoon at the Peabody Glen Nursing Home following a lengthy illness. She was the loving longtime companion of James P. Frasca of Peabody and the daughter of the late John (Jacko) and Margaret (Lynch) Nelson. She was a graduate of St. John’ s Girl High School in 1940. Marie Burke was an executive secretary who worked for over 30 years, first at Eastman Gelatin in Peabody and later for the MITRE Corporation in Bedford before her retirement in 1971. She also volunteered for over 20 years at Salem Hospital and the Lahey Clinic North in Peabody. Marie and Jim enjoyed golfing and dancing. She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Walter E. Jr., and Linda Burke of Middleton, John and Ellen Burke and Nelson and Joanne Burke, all of Peabody; a daughter, Jeannette Burke of Austin, Texas; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Nelson of Peabody and five grandchildren. She was the sister of the late Rt. Rev. Col. John F. Nelson, Ret., James Nelson and John Lynch. Marie’ s family wishes to acknowledge the dedicated and caring staff of the Peabody Glen Nursing Home. Her funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 9:00 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 20 Church St., Peabody Facility, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM in St. Ann’ s Church, Peabody to which relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 4 until 8 PM. Burial in St. Mary’ s Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the VNA Care Hospice, 5 Federal St., Danvers, Ma 01923.