MCLEANSBORO – Robert “Bob” Sherman Burke, left this Earth after a difficult and valiant battle with cancer. A fighter until the end, Bob passed away on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the age of 69 with his loving wife, Jackie, by his side. Bob requested a cremation and that the ashes be scattered in one of his favorite spots, Key West, Florida.
Discovering reading at an early age changed his life. He was an avid reader and collector of books. He was a member of the MENSA Society and frequently assisted by proctoring the administration of the MENSA intelligence exams to potential members in Southern Illinois.
Bob was born on December 13th, 1953, to William “Bill” and Carlene (Miles) Burke in Carbondale, Illinois. He was the middle child of five sons, born in five years. His brothers were Lon, Ron, William (Willie), and Don.
After graduating from McLeansboro Township High School, in 1971, Bob went on to attend Rend Lake College in Ina, Illinois, and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, graduating with a degree in History at SIU in 1977. After graduation, Bob decided that he wanted to hitchhike the USA and Canada. Many years later, when pressed to pick a favorite destination, Bob would typically respond with “Key West, Florida.”
After graduating from SIU and traveling, he held a variety of jobs, but decided to pursue his dream of being a lawyer. He entered the SIU School of Law and graduated May 11, 1986, with a Juris Doctor. He passed the Illinois Bar and was admitted by the Illinois Supreme Court to practice law in Illinois on May 7, 1987.
He began his law career as a Public Defender for Williamson County, in Marion, Illinois. Later, he became a Public Defender for the State of Illinois, Circuit Appeals Court, in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. In that capacity, his clients were already convicted of a crime and he was assisting them in appealing their conviction. Bob believed that everyone was entitled to a fair legal trial.
On October 8, 2016, he married the love of his life, Jackie Gatliff, and they lived in Aurora, Colorado, along with her niece Kelsey Edwards and their fur baby DeeDee.
After retiring in 2016, with 30 years in the legal field, Bob spent his time reading, traveling, bird watching, scuba diving, camping, and searching historical areas as much as possible.
Bob is predeceased by his parents and his brothers Ron and Willie. He is survived by his wife Jackie; his step daughter (from his 1st marriage) Charis Beard (Aaron); his three step grand-daughters Emily and Violet of Marion, Illinois and Skylar (and daughter Myla) of Carbondale, Illinois; his brother Lon (Barbara) Burke, of Dahlgren, Illinois; his brother Don (Ann) Burke, of McLeansboro, Illinois; his sister-in-law Sandy Burke, of McLeansboro, Illinois; his niece Alison Burke (John Ray) and grand-niece Halle, his niece Natalie Burke Webb (Dalton Webb), and grand-nephew Ira Webb, his niece Susan Burke, his nephew Jason Burke (Siopha) and grand-nieces MacKenzie Burke and Madilyn Burke, his nephew Sean Burke, and his nephew Nicholas Burke (Haley).
Bob specifically requested that no public memorial services take place. If you’d like to honor his legacy, please make a donation to the Burke Family Scholarship in Bob’s name.
Mail checks to:
Hamilton County Schools Foundation
P.O. Box 369
McLeansboro, Illinois 62859
Note on the check that funds are for the “Burke Family Scholarship.”
