Michael Edmund Burke's Obituary
Michael Edmund Burke (Mike), 69, passed away February 9, 2023, at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego, CA after a sudden illness. He was born on June 13, 1953, in Los Angeles, CA to Robert and Mary McCann Burke. In 1957, he and his family moved to San Diego into Mission Hills to the home he loved so much that it remained his until his passing. Mike attended St. Vincent de Paul Elementary, St. Augustine High School, San Diego High School, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz and Western States College of Law. Mike loved his Mission Hills neighborhood and made many life long friends in Mission Hills. He was a lifelong parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church.
Mike practiced law in San Diego for over 40 years. He represented his clients with uncompromising zeal and was dedicated to the ideal of justice for all. Mike was known for his knowledge of and expertise at criminal law and federal criminal procedure. He was often consulted by other lawyers who sought his advice on relevant issues in their cases. Mike always had time to discuss cases with his colleagues any time they needed his legal help and opinion, often over breakfast or lunch which he loved doing. Mike was a long-time member of The Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and was often at their gatherings. He was a member of the San Diego County Bar Association and participated in the committee dealing with the enforcement of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Aside from his life as a Federal Criminal Defense attorney, Mike spent his early years as a lawyer handling personal injury, business and immigration matters. Some of those matters made it necessary for Mike to travel several times to Europe where he enjoyed seeing many of the places he’d dreamed of in his youth. Having been a devout Catholic his whole life, visiting the Vatican brought him great joy. His casework also took him to Scandinavia and his family heritage homeland of Ireland numerous times.
Mike was an avid basketball player in his teens and loved 24 hour news, current affairs, both domestic and foreign, history and movies. He was an excellent chess player and trained in the martial arts of Judo, Karate and Kung Fu, receiving the rank of Black Sash in the latter. Mike was an accomplished actor and a member of The Irish Players, where he appeared in several productions. He once said that at the end of his life he hoped it could be said about him that he was a devoted and loving son, brother, husband, father and friend, always trying to give his best to all around him.
Mike is survived by his wife Edith Burke, son Brendan Burke, and sisters Terri Skwarlo, and Maureen Salmi. Mike was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal Grandparents, father, mother and brother. Rosary services are scheduled for March 17th at 7 p.m. in the Salli Lynn Chapel at Greenwood Mortuary with a funeral mass at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church scheduled for Saturday, March 18th at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery immediately following the mass. We miss him.
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