Obituary of Margaret F Burke

Margaret Frances (Forbes) Burke Margaret (Peggy) was born Jan. 21, 1927, the fifth daughter of Philip and Rose Forbes in South Philadelphia. Her sisters, all now deceased, were Rose (Bud) Muldoon, Kathryn (Zeke) Zeilmann, Marie (Charlie) Barnes, Betty (Bud) Reagan. Peg's husband Tom Burke died in August 1974. Their children are Patricia Guarini (Pasquale), Tom, Shawn (Patrea), Joe (Sandy), Patrick. Grandchildren are Pattianne Guarini O Malley (Rich), Tom Guarini (Kim), Megan Vondelinde (Tyler), Conor Burke, greatgrandchildren Emily O'Malley, Elizabeth Guarini, Ella Grace Farber, Luna Sue Vondelinde and Linden Burke Vondelinde. Peggy attended Philadelphia's John W. Hallahan Catholic High School. She married at age 19 with her daughter, Patricia, born not long after. Four lads, Tom, Shawn, Joe and Patrick, would follow, each attended well as children by a very loving mother. The family lived in Aldan, Pennsylvania and in 1966 after Patty graduated from Archbishop Prendergast High School in Upper Darby moved down the shore to Wildwood, New Jersey. There, family would often visit with Peggy's sisters and their husbands lending a hand to the upgrading of their Juniper Avenue abode as well as leading the fun of the weekends and such at local establishments none more prominent than Tony's at 26th Avenue and Delaware in North Wildwood. Peggy's favorite at Tony's was Shrimp in a Basket. Peggy loved being from South Philadelphia and her pride in her roots was never more evident than when she cheered on the annual Mummers' Parade with a special place in her heart for the string bands. Peggy was fond of a Manhattan (or two) before dinner and liked her steaks medium rare. Peggy had wonderful friends in her life including some she'll know again on the other side including Mary Grugan DeGrazio, Marge Jackson Caponi, Nancy O'Brien, Helen Dole and Jeanie DeGugliamo. Her dear friend, Gerry Clark, survives her. Peggy died in the early morning of June 16, 2024 with her caregiver and son, Patrick, at her side. Just days before, Augustinian Father Francis Caponi, the son of Peggy's longtime best friend, Marge Caponi, now deceased, sensed that his Aunt Peg's time was near and rushed to administer to her the sacrament of anointing (Extreme Unction). Family and friends will gather on June 26, 2024 at Holy Cross Cemetery in Mays Landing at 12 noon where Peggy will be interred next to her husband, Tom Burke. To honor Peggy her children composed remembrances of her that follow here: Patty "There's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes, the stories are simple, and sometimes, they are hard and heartbreaking. Behind all your stories is always your mother's story because hers is where yours begins." Mom, Thank you for the stories you told me. Thank you for my stories that you are a part of. Thank you for memories of a childhood when I felt safe and loved. Thank you for the times we shared together when you were laughing and smiling. Thank you for the lessons about life and love that you taught me. Thank you for loving my children and for showing them love. Thank you for helping me with them when I needed it . They know you loved them unconditionally. "I love you every day. And now, I will miss you every day." All my love, Patty Joe MOM Thank you, Mom for always being there for everyone. I know you were there when I needed you, no matter what. I will be thinking of you very often because of the love you gave me. To this day I can still see you waving your hands at me to come closer to the shore when I was in the ocean. I have so many stories to share about you – here are just a couple. After returning home from Philly on the bus, you met a woman from Turkey and she had a baby with her and she had nowhere to go. So, of course, you brought her home with you. She stayed a day or two until her relatives could be reached. I also remember you would do almost anything to make us happy on Christmas after Dad had passed away, while raising three children and working odd jobs to support us. I could go on and on about all the care and love you had for our family and others. I thank Almighty God for making Margaret Burke our wonderful Mother and for the family I share her with. Mom, you will still be in my life even though you are not physically here. I will always love you. I know you are with God now and eventually, Dad too. Goodbye to my real-life Guardian Angel of a Mother. Rest in beautiful peace. Your loving son, Joe Shawn I came in as the middle child-seven years behind Tom (which was good because he was too old to care about beating me up as we got older) and two years ahead of Joe (which didn't fare as well for him, unfortunately). But the separation allowed my mother to have the time be able to show more attention than a middle child would normally get. It definitely showed in the interest she took in my education and upbringing. Manners? She taught me well. At a dinner table, I was able to operate as many as six different forks. With my first chemistry set, at probably too young an age, I Iearned how NOT to mix sodium ferrocyanide and household vinegar. One bad salad dressing. I was a bright, but introverted child. Instead of trying to change me, she always allowed me to quietly read and learn about the world around me. I enjoy that to this day. We always laughed at my many foibles in childhood, and no one told a better story than my mother. Thank you for all that you were. It made me what I am. Several generations will be grateful for you. Love, Shawn Tommy Thank you, Mom, for a wonderful life and wonderful help as I grew. I love you. Through Aldan, Wildwood and beyond you have been a light for me and my son, your grandson, Conor. Enjoy heaven! Patrick Our Mother was the best. All she cared about was her children. She rarely treated herself to anything; just getting her hair done and taking us out to eat. None of us wanted for anything within reason. After being a widow at 49 with 3 minors still in the house, she didn't crawl into a bottle or look for a man to support us or let us run amuck and have no discipline in the house, as I witnessed more than once with other suddenly father devoid families. She was a chambermaid, shucked oysters, ran boardwalk rides, was a clerk in a jewelry store, a cafeteria worker at a casino and other jobs that required little experience since she was married at 19. Us three minors left in the house saw her struggle, struggle more than she ever struggled when my father was alive. Her sadness at not being able to own a house, not being able to provide all she had been able to before my father died. But she was so warm and loving. I would take the love over a money-obsessed, icy mother. She will be my final thought. And, at this moment, she is my consuming thought. But I will go on, as she wished. I love you, mama. More than anything. Your youngest son, Patrick