Elizabeth "Betty" Burke

Elizabeth (Freiburg) Burke, age 97, of St. Peter, died peacefully at her home on Thursday, October 10, 2024.

Betty was born March 19, 1927 in Oak Park, Illinois to Richard N. and Pauline (Michael) Freiburg. She grew up in Lombard, Illinois, the oldest of her siblings Mary Wolffe-Elbe, Sr. Ann Freiburg OSF, Michael Freiburg (Angela), and Marjorie Wiemels (Eugene). Betty was the valedictorian of her high school class.

Betty was united in marriage to William T. Burke on February 5, 1949 in Lombard, IL. They met as student delegates to the founding convention of the U.S. Chapter of the National Student Association held at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1947. She graduated from the College of St. Francis in Joliet, IL (now the University of Saint Francis) with a degree in Mathematics. Betty taught junior and senior high school Math at St. Peter High School for more than 25 years and coached her Math Counts Team to the Minnesota State Championship and traveled to Washington D.C. to compete nationally.

Betty enjoyed managing her rental units and getting to know her tenants and always enjoyed a good book and her crossword puzzles. In retirement, she traveled with close college friends on several European trips, enjoying their company and experiencing other cultures. She also loved bus trips with new friends to the Guthrie Theater for concerts and plays.

She was a longtime member of the Church of St. Peter, participating in choir and as an active member of the parish council for many years. In addition, she was on the board of Habitat for Humanity in St. Peter.

Betty is survived by her children, Christopher Burke of Mankato, Elizabeth Burke (Kent Gernander) of Winona, Sheila Burke, MD (Joe Alvord) of Oregon, William Burke (Geraldine) of Vermont, and Nicholas Burke of Arizona; her grandchildren, Nicholas Schumacher, Eric Schumacher, Laura Iversen, Christian Iversen, MD, Czar Burke-Alvord, Arthur Burke, Madeline Burke, and Alexander Burke and by her great-grandchildren, Lucy and Emma Schumacher, George and Eddie Burke, and Juliet Iversen; and by her siblings (above).

She was preceded in death by her husband, William T. Burke, a psychologist at the St Peter State Hospital, and by her son-in-law, Jan Albert Iversen, MD.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Mohammed Solaiman for decades of excellent care before her final days and to Freedom Home Care, especially Chris Dewar, RN and caregiver Dot Harris for their loving and professional attention, and to Betty’s friends Bev Boutin, Selene Castelline and Verlin Carlson for their loving support. Betty's neighbors, particularly Jamie Farlinger and John Dunn could not have been any kinder or more helpful.

Services are tentatively scheduled for spring/summer 2025 and will be announced at a later date. Please share a memory of Betty with her family at www.saintpeterfuneralhome.com

Memorials are preferred to either Habitat for Humanity or to the St. Peter Public Library.