Ricky E. “Rick” Burke, age 57, of Wellston, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, June 24, 2015, at the Holzer Medical Center in Gallipolis, Ohio. He was born July 1, 1957 in Gallipolis to Paul Edward Burke and Melvina Slavens Burke.
Rick was a 1975 graduate of Wellston High School. He was retired from Buckeye Hills Career Center, where he was employed as a “sanitation engineer” for 35 years. Rick was a member of both the Wellston and Jackson Bow Clubs, and he enjoyed hunting, fishing, mushroom hunting and spending time with his nieces and nephews.
He is survived by his mother, Melvina Burke of Wellston; brothers, Terry Burke, and wife Pat, of Columbus and Dean Burke of Wellston; nieces and nephews, B.J. Burke, Paula Burke, Jeremy Adams and Zackery Burke; aunts and uncles, Maxine Jacobs of Wellston, Wanda and Herb Childers of Wellston, Kathryn Holcomb of Nevada, Oh., Bob and Lavonne Slavens of Roswell, New Mexico, Helen Diddle of Syracuse and Carolyn Burke of Wellston, as well as 10 great-nieces and great-nephews and many cousins and friends, including special friends, Greg Radcliff, Wayne Brown and Dave Downard.
Rick was preceded in death by his father, Paul Burke, and his grandparents, William J. and Eva Burke and Vinton and Cynthia Slavens.
Calling hours will be Saturday from 2 to 8 p.m. at the McWilliams Funeral Home in Wellston. Cremation will follow the visitation. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.mcwilliams-funeralhome.com