Norman F. Burke

Norman was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, July 7, 1932. When he was four, his family moved to Westborough, Mass., where he attended school until college. In high school, he played baseball, football, and basketball. At the University of Rhode Island, he was a leader of the debate team and a member of Sigma Chi and ROTC, exceling on the drill team. Norman was accepted to Boston University Law School after three years at URI and was an editor of the law review. He continued his education by receiving a Masters in Labor Relations from Harvard Law School.

Norman came to Orlando in 1957, married Valerie in 1958, and in 1960 moved into their present home, much of which he designed. After choosing Orlando as his choice to practice law, he represented many local and national companies in the labor law area for many years. He was a partner in the law firm Vandenberg, Gay, Burke and Dyer until they joined the national firm Foley and Lardner. Norman retired in 1993. He helped many young people gain an education. Norman and Valerie spent many summers in their summer home in Seattle, and they were active in the University Presbyterian Church in Seattle and University Congregational Church and First United Methodist Church in Winter Park.

An enthusiastic reader and learner all his life, Norman read the New York Times every day until his final hospitalization. He was also an aficionado and avid collector of Britains toy soldiers and World War II planes and equipment. An active member of the New England Genealogical Society and SAR, one of Norman's passions was hours of intense research and travel, documenting every individual and dates in our family history.

Norman and Valerie loved biking with Vermont Bicycle Tours both in the U.S. and England. They spent many summers at Chautauqua Institution in New York State, known for its brilliant summer speaker program. Of course no summer was complete without baseball games at Fenway as Norman thoroughly enjoyed baseball. Until COVID-19 lockdown, almost every weekend found Norman and Valerie playing mini golf at the Fairways at Disney World, the toughest mini golf course in the world. Frequent visitors to the Parker House Hotel in Boston, Norman played every mini golf course within 40 miles followed by dinner at Legal Seafood on the Wharf. Norman had a full and blessed life. He is survived by his wife Valerie, sister Pamela, sons Whitney, Winthrop, and Prescott, and grandchildren Miles, Vincent, Ingrid, Lachlan, and Presley. His family will remember Norman for his quick wit, his lazer focus, and his generosity.

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