Rose Marie Burke

Rose Marie Burke, a resident at the Cotter House in Columbus, Ohio, passed away peacefully on February 13th, 2025, her 92nd birthday. She was surrounded by her loving family. “Rose” was born in 1933 and was the second of five children of Joseph and Helen Kozenko, in the small town of Derry, Pennsylvania. She met the love of her life, Earl G. Burke, in high school. Rose was graduated from Latrobe Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. Shortly after, Earl returned from serving in the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea. They married in 1955. Rose and Earl came from modest families with strong work ethics. They pursued growth opportunities at every turn. The first stop in their love story was in Detroit, Michigan where Earl worked in the brewing business, and Rose worked as an intensive care nurse. Their first son Earl Jr. was born in Detroit in 1959. Their next move was to San Antonio, Texas where their second son, David was born in 1962. They then moved to Oklahoma City. After Oklahoma, Rose and Earl moved to Los Angeles where she became the Director of Nursing at Northridge Hospital. She held a Bachelor's degree in Health Care from Cal State Northridge. Rose and her family relocated to Columbus, Ohio where she was the Director of Nursing at Riverside Methodist Hospital. These years in Ohio were some of her proudest as she became a “Buckeye” and graduated from The Ohio State University with a Master's degree in Health Care Administration. Rose loved college football and was a bona fide Buckeye! Rose and Earl returned to Los Angeles, living in Calabasas, while enjoying the Southern California lifestyle. She helped develop home health care and dialysis assistance for multiple hospitals as Vice President of CliniShare. Retirement in 1993 opened new opportunities for travel. As a couple, they engaged in many adventures and took pride in having visited all fifty U.S. states as a family. She loved the ocean and was an avid golfer. In 2000, Rose and Earl moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where Rose spent the last twenty years of her life playing golf, cheering football, and volunteering at Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church in Carefree. Her pinnacle trip was to the Holy Land in 2016. Rose returned to Columbus in 2020 to be closer to her family. Preceded in death by her husband, Earl G. Burke. Sr., she is survived by her son Earl Jr. (Sheri) Burke, their children: Ashely, Michael and Tad; son David (Rhonda) Burke and grandson, Jackson; siblings Joseph M. Kozenko, Jeanne Kurela, and Mercedes Wirdzek. Rose maintained a loving relationship with her nieces, Terri and Andrea Ridilla with whom she spoke daily.

Rose Marie Burke

February 13, 1933 - February 13, 2025