Donald Michael BURKE

   Cause of death was Heart Attack.

   General Notes:

Obituary, Ellkins Inter-Mountain, November 22, 1976, p. 1:

Dr Burke Dies; Medical Coordinator, Pediatrics Chief At Memorial General Hospital

Dr. Donald ;M. Burke, chief of pediatrics for more than two decades at Memorial General Hospital and The Golden Clinic where he served as acting medical director and was medical coordinator when disabled by a heart attack last October, died Sunday morning at 10:15 A.M. in Woodbridge, Va.

Dr. Burke and his wife, Phyllis, were returning from a five week vacation with friends in Lake Placid and Merritt Island, Fla., when the physician was stricken with a fatal heart attack at the home of Mrs. Burke's sister in Woodbridge where they spent Saturday night after arriving on the auto-train from the South. Dr. Burke was pronounced dead on arrival at the Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge.

"The trip seemed to agree with him, and he enjoyed it so much", said Mrs. Burke.

Dr. Burke served two three year terms as president of the West Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and was appointed by Gov. Cecil Underwood as a delegate to the Little White House Conference on Children and Youth.

Returning from the Washington conference, Dr. Burke organized the first West Virginia Council to the White House Conference on Children and Youth and served as its president for two terms. This council replaced the former governor's committee with a permanent society.

Working together in the early 1960s, Dr. Burke and Dr. Robert C. Gow helped develop the three -in -one oral polio vaccine licensed by the U. S. Public Health Service in 1963.

In addition to other research, Dr. Burke was among the first doctors in central West Virginia to give complete exchange transfusions to Rh babies. "I've seen him spend 24 hours with a baby during that life-saving procedure without leaving the baby's bedside", said a medical co-worker. Now expectant mothers are given shots to prevent the Rh problem with newborns.

"He had a great exuberance for medicine, he would work 24 hours, 36 hours, 48 hours when a baby's life was in danger. Time didn't mean anything to him", said a doctor who has worked closely with Burke for nearly two decades.

"He had two consuming passions --one for his work and the other for his family. Neither diminished in the 30 years I have known him", said another physician at the hospital where Dr. Burke from 1970 to 1974 was acting medical director and then medical coordinator but still worked full time as a pediatrician.

Last October, Dr. Burke suffered a heart attack and had been on disability leave. He was serving as secretary of the board of directors of Memorial General Hospital at the time of his death.

Born on Jan. 13, 1924 at Johnstown, Pa., he was the son of Frank J. Burke who died in 1964, and Jean Campbell Burke, whose death occurred in 1970. They moved from Pennsylvania to the Valley Bend community after retirement.

Graduating from the Adams Township High School in St. Michael, Pa., Dr. Burke entered the University of Pittsburgh where he received his bachelor of science and doctorate of medicine degrees and then served his internship at the University Hospital. He served his residency in pediatrics at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.

During World War II and the Korean Conflict he served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

In 1948, in Pittsburgh he was married to the former Phyllis Lowery, a registered nurse and nurse anesthetist, who survives and resides on Sycamore St. in Elkins.

Other survivors include three daughters, Virginia Karb, assistant professor in the school of nursing at the University of Virginia, and wife of Kenneth Karb of Charlottesville, Va.; Louise Burke, territory manager of Southern Indiana for John Deere Co., Bloomington, Ind. and Jane Burke, student at Mt. De Chantal Academy in Wheeling; and two sons, D. Michael Burke II, first year law student at West Virginia University; and Thomas L. Burke, with the U.S. Air Force at Dyess, Texas.

Dr. Burke was a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatricians and chairman of the West Virginia Association of Pediatricians from 1958-64. In 1947, he was president of the Student Medical Association.

He was a member of the American Medical Association, Tygart Valley Medical Society, West Virginia Medical Association, Children's Hospital Alumni Association in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Medical Society, Lawrence County Medical Society, West Virginia Pediatric Society and American Academy of Pediatrics.

   Medical Notes:

Bi-polar disorder; cluster headaches; lactose intolerance; angina. 1st heart attack at age 29.

   Events:

1. Baptism; 27 Jan 1924; St. Joseph's Church, Portage, Cambria Co., PA.

2. Organizations. American Medical Association

3. Organizations. Tygart Valley Medical Society

4. Organizations. West Virginia Medical Association

5. Organizations. Children's Hospital Alumni Association in Pennsylvania

6. Organizations. Pennsylvania Medical Society

7. Organizations. Lawrence County Medical Society

8. Organizations. West Virginia Pediatric Society

9. Organizations. American Academy of Pediatrics

10. Occupation. Pediatrician

11. Degree; 1943; University Of Pittsburgh. Bachelor of Science

12. Degree; U Of Pittsburgh. M. D.

13. Military; 30 Jun 1945; Indiantown Gap, PA. Discharged As Pfc

14. Military; 23 Nov 1953; Indiantown Gap, PA. Discharged As 1St Lt. To

15. Residence; Bet.1924-1949; St. Michael, Cambria Co, PA.

   Marriage Information:

Donald married Phyllis Virginia LOWERY, daughter of John Reginald LOWERY and Lucille Elizabeth McQUOWN, on 22 May 1948 in St. Paul's Cathedral, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA. (Phyllis Virginia LOWERY was born on 1 Jan 1927 in Norfolk, VA ¹, died on 20 Oct 1981 in Elkins, Randolph Co., WV ¹ and was buried in St. Brendan's Cemetery, Elkins, Randolph Co., WV.)