John Morgan Burke, beloved husband, father, grandfather (Papa), brother, uncle, and friend, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family in Woods Cross, Utah, on January 29, 2025, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Born October 31, 1945, in Pikeville, Kentucky, to Barclay and Nola Burke, John moved to Detroit, Michigan, at age three. A voracious reader, he loved classic literature and science fiction and shared a passion for chess with his father and sister, Alice.
John graduated from Southeastern High School in 1963 and earned a Political Science degree from the University of Michigan in 1966. During his senior year, he married Nancy Crabtree on August 20, 1966. He pursued graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. There, he had the opportunity to engage with international diplomats and including Professor Donald Stone, a key figure in the Marshall Plan. He later earned a master's degree from Wayne State University in Political Science. While pursuing a PhD in Political Philosophy and teaching at Wayne State, he and Nancy welcomed their first son, Glenn, in 1969.
After moving to West Virginia to support Nancy in her teaching career, John continued to work on his dissertation for his PhD when their second son, Jason, was born in 1973. While living in West Virginia, John decided to discontinue the pursuit of his PhD and began a career in social work that lasted for over a decade. It was during this time that John joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1976 and was sealed for all time and eternity in the Washington D.C. temple to Nancy, Glenn, and Jason.
His passion for learning led him to law school at BYU where he distinguished himself as an editor for the Law Review. He graduated in 1987 with Order of the Coif honors and received the prestigious Hubie Brown Award for excellence in preparation and performance. Upon graduation, John started practicing law at Larson and Kimball specializing in environmental law and becoming a partner until he retired in 2002.
Despite health challenges in his later years, John found joy in cultivating sunflowers, feeding birds, and reading. He adored his family, especially his grandchildren.
John was preceded in death by his parents, sisters (Billie Sue Cline & Alice White), and grandson, Sean. He is survived by his devoted wife, Nancy; sons, Glenn (Courtney) and Jason (Aubrey); and grandchildren Morgan, Noah, Nicholas, Isabela, Jeremiah, Ezra, Elijah, Kellen, Michael, Aidan, and Cora. John's legacy of love, learning, and faith in his Savior Jesus Christ will never be forgotten.
Funeral services will be held at Woods Cross 3rd Ward chapel (1450 South 350 West, Bountiful, UT) on Thursday, February 6th at 10:00 AM; a viewing will be held from 8:30 to 9:45 AM at the same location.
Services will be streamed live on Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and this obituary page.
Thursday, February 6, 2025
8:30 - 9:45 am (Mountain time)
Woods Cross 3rd Ward chapel
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Starts at 10:00 am (Mountain time)
Woods Cross 3rd Ward chapel
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