Josephine Veronica Burke (1907-1995)

Josephine Veronica Burke (1907-1995) aka May Burke; Dental Assistant (b. April 05, 1907, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA - d. October 06, 1995, 3B New York Drive, Cedar Glen Lakes, Whiting, Manchester Township, Ocean County, New Jersey, USA) Social Security Number 173050779.

Birth: Josephine was born in 1907 to John Joseph Burke (1868-1939) and Josephine Smith (1874-1962).

Siblings: Her siblings include: Bertha Marie Burke (1902-1971) who married Stephen H. Prasky (1897-1965); William Burke II (1904-1996) who married Eleanor Catherine Outwater (1912-1978) and worked at the Bayway Refinery in Elizabeth, New Jersey; John Joseph Burke II (1909-1986) aka John Steven Burke who married Elizabeth Jones (1909-1958) and was Chief Quartermaster for the Navy; Margaret E. Burke (1913-c1971) who married David Thomas Morgan (c1914-c1974) and worked for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) but had no children; and Owen John Burke (1915-1984) who was a World War II Veteran that never married.

Lansdowne, Pennsylvania: From around 1921 to 1925 Josephine attended Lansdowne High School in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. On November 30, 1936 she was living on Villanova Avenue in Rutledge, Delaware County, Pennsylvania when she applied for a Social Security number. Rutledge was also known as Mailmont, Ridley Township in the 1930 Census.

Dental Assistant: She worked as a Dental Assistant for Dr. H.F. Shor at 207 North Broad Street in Philadelphia.

Marriage: On Saturday, July 30, 1950 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church in Morton, Pennsylvania she married Thomas Patrick Norton I (1891-1968). Thomas was the son of Patrick J. Norton (1856-1905) and Sarah Jane Carr (1866-1950). Reverend Joseph B. Gibson performed the ceremony and Josephine was given in marriage by her brother, William Burke. She wore a powder blue chiffon gown and hat, and a corsage of pink rosebuds. Leona Veronica Patterson (1889-1963), the adopted daughter of her aunt Mary Ellen Burke (1870-1957) aka Mamie Burke, was her matron of honor and Leona wore a dusty rose chiffon gown and a corsage of tea roses. James Joseph Norton II (1929- ), her stepson, was the best man. They honeymooned in Niagara Falls, the Great Lakes Region and then stopped in Chicago. Tom Norton had previously been married to Josephine's half-sister, Mary Margaret Burke (1890-1949).

Jersey City, New Jersey: Tom and Josephine lived at Tom's home at 603 Garfield Avenue in Jersey City.

Jackson, New Jersey: When Tom retired around 1956 or 1958 they moved to Ocean County, New Jersey near Tom's River and her sister, Bertha; and Bertha's husband, Stephen bought a house in the same development. Josephine and Tom, along with Bertha and Stephen Prasky, visited Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and took a series of photographs.

Death of Stephen Prasky: In 1965, Bertha's husband died and Bertha moved in with Josephine and Tom in the house in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Death of Husband: They were living at 17 Pine Street in Jackson, Ocean County, New Jersey when Tom died in December of 1968 after having a heart attack while watching the game that decides who goes to the Superbowl.

Whiting, New Jersey: When Bertha died in 1971, Josephine moved to a condominium in a senior community in Whiting, New Jersey.

Name Change: On May 26, 1972 she had her name legally changed to May Norton so she could get her passport or visa using her baptism certificate which identified her as Josephine Burke.

Rome, Italy: She took a vacation with her brother John Joseph Burke II and flew from JFK Airport, New York on June 09, 1972 at 4:00 pm and arrived in Rome, Italy for a week on June 10, 1972, 8:30 am. The also visited Capri on the same trip.

Gall Bladder and Cancer: In 1995 she was hospitalized for her gall bladder and during the operation the surgeon noticed that she had cancerous liver lesions and a biopsy confirmed she had cancer. She was 87 years old and her health declined and 9 months later she died. Vincent Girard Norton (1923-2005), her stepson, stayed with her all that time to feed and care for her. Once a month James Joseph Norton, her other stepson would come down and help take care of her.

Death: Both Vincent and James were present the night she died in her condominium in a senior community at 3B New York Drive, Cedar Glen Lakes in Whiting, Manchester Township, Ocean County, New Jersey. James was rolling her over to prevent bed sores when he noticed that she had passed away. She had pre-arranged her own funeral.

Burial: She is buried in Lot 59, Range 6, Section T at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, in Yeadon, Delaware County, Pennsylvania buried with her grandparents: William Burke (1839-1919) and Margaret Kane (1834-1912); her aunt, Mary Ellen Burke (1870-1957) and Mary's husband Richard Patterson (1864-1930); and her sister Bertha M. Burke (1902-1971).

Religion: Josephine was very religious and went to Catholic Mass every day at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, and she was a member of its Altar and Rosary Society, and was involved with the Third Order of Saint Francis.