Michael P. Burke, 60, of Crosswicks, NJ finally succumbed to complications related to a bone marrow transplant to combat leukemia just before midnight on Sunday, August 14, 2011 at the
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Born in England, Michael, his Irish parents, Michael and Nora Burke and his older brother, Martin immigrated to the U.S. settling in Brooklyn, N.Y.

He had a B.A. from the College of Staten Island but was most proud of his Master of Social Sciences from Bryn Mawr College (May 2000). He lived in Dublin for two years where he trained as a chef. He then moved to Philadelphia, where his brother lived, and trained to become a
paralegal working with Center City law firms.

After nearly dying when he was 29, due to being in a coma from undiagnosed diabetes, Michael turned his life around. He went back to school and started working in addiction counseling and with the mentally ill in Philadelphia, then worked in Ancora State Hospital in New Jersey, and eventually worked for disability services for the State of New Jersey.

He met his future wife, Lisa Ann Ciaston, while they both worked at Ancora and they married last summer. She was the love of his life and he finally found peace and happiness in her arms. They have been Crosswicks residents for the past 3 years.

There will be a Memorial Mass at St. Paul's Church, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton N.J. at 11:00am on Saturday, August 27, 2011.

Donations in lieu of flowers should be sent to Save the Children, 54 Wilton Road, Westport, CT 06880 or visit savethechildren.org