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James O. Burke

December 19, 2003 — July 27, 1930

James O. Burke

James O. ìStoneyî Burke, resident of Marshall, Texas, passed away Friday, December 19, 2003 at the Marshall Manor, at the age of seventy-three years, four months and twenty-two days.



James was born July 27, 1930 in Burkburnett, Texas. He was the son of James Albert and Mary Jane Burke. He moved with his family to Cleveland, Oklahoma at an early age where he was raised and attended school, graduating from Cleveland High School.in 1948. While attending Cleveland High School, James played as the quarterback on the Tiger Football team that included Billy Vessels as running back. James was selected as an All-State Quaterback his senior year.



While attending high school and for the year following his graduation, James worked as a salesman at the local C. R. Anthony store. Stoney was married to Marthanell Collins on February 18, 1950 in Cleveland, Oklahoma. Following their marriage the couple moved to Redondo Beach, California where he worked at an aircraft manufacturing plant for nearly a year before moving to Odessa, Texas. In Odessa, he began a long career in the oilfields by accepting employment with Williams Construction building tank batteries. In 1951, Stoney accepted employment as a roustabout for Sinclair Oil and advanced in the company over the next thirty-three years, retiring as an assistant foreman for Sinclair/Arco in 1984 in Drumright, Oklahoma.



While residing in Drumright, Stoney was active in the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers, AFL-CIO serving as an officer in the local union for many years. He participated extensively during strike negotiations in 1969 while serving as President of the local union.



Upon his retirement in 1984, James and Martha moved to Marshall, Texas where they had frequently visited prior to their retirement. Stoney was an avid quail hunter and bass fisherman. He accepted Christ as his personal savior while in the hospital in 1998 and was a faithful witness until the time of his death. He was a member of the Second Baptist Church in Marshall, Texas. .



He is survived by his wife of fifty-three years, Martha of the home; son and his wife, Donald James and Eunice Burke of Marshall, Texas; daughter and her husband, Linda Sue Burke and Roger Ott of Kansas City, Missouri; three sisters, Ida Lunsford Boyd of Marshall, Texas, Darlene Lock of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Nadine Sparks of Tulsa, Oklahoma.; five grandchildren, Jaime Burke of Marshall, Texas; Joshua Chin, Sarah Chin Eisenlohr; Caleb Chin, and Isaac Chin, all of Kansas City, Missouri; and a great granddaughter, Jadyn Eisenlohr of Kansas City, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant daughter, Marcia Janelle Burke.



Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, December 22, 2003 at the Woodland Cemetery Chapel in Cleveland, Oklahoma with Rev. Sonny Johnston officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.



Visit an online obituary and guestbook for James Burke at www.chapman-black.com.

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