James Robert Burke
Marriages
Kathryn
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3D Obituary - April 23, 2017
James Robert Burke, of
Montrose, passed away
Thursday, April 20, at
HopeWest Hospice in Grand
Junction; he was 84.
He is survived by wife,
Kathryn; her daughter, Gia
(Jim) Porter all of Montrose;
her son, Jason Russell,
Malibu, California; his sisters,
Kay Christensen of Grand
Junction and Lois French of Eurkea, Kansas; nephews, Larry
and Dan French, also of Eureka; Douglas Curnutt of Ellsworth,
Kansas, and niece Joan Boyer of Heston, Kansas.
Burke was also a writer and photographer chronicling
railroading history in the U.S. and Canada. He is the author of
The Iron Horse & I, Volumes I and II, and the Disappearing
America, which will be published posthumously (both by San
Juan Publishing). After retirement, he worked there with his
wife, Kathryn, contributing to publications for the Durango and
Silverton Railroad, Royal Gorge Railroad, Grand Canyon
Railway, and Verde Canyon Railway.
Burke was born in Eureka, Kansas. He worked the Santa Fe
Railroad before and serving in the the Army as a helicopter crew
chief during the Korean conflict. He graduated from Kansas
State University with an engineering degree and was associated
with Pacifc Gas & Electric (PG&E) and Bectel (out of San
Francisco), Alstrom Pyropower (San Diego), and Tri State
Generation, Nucla Station. Burke held several patents for his
contributions in the power industry.
Arrangements are being handled by Sunset Mesa Funeral
Home.
The family asks that those who would like to do so, please
make a donation to HopeWest Hospice in the name of James
Burke.