Leona Ruth Burke, 88, of Belvidere, died at her home on October 8, 2012. She felt fortunate to live for many years after surgery in March 2004 for sacral chordoma. The daughter of George and Ida (Kurzhal) Glaser, Leona was born May 3, 1924, in South Bend, Indiana. She graduated from Riley High School in South Bend. A homemaker most of her life, Leona first worked in a department store and then packed truck parts at the Studebaker factory during World War II. In August of 1943, she took a train to Long Beach, California, to marry Wilfred Carl Burke while he was serving on a Navy tanker in the South Pacific; their union lasted 68 years until his death August 14, 2011, at the age of 100. Leona was a member of St. John's United Church of Christ from the time her family moved to Belvidere in 1965. She served as secretary of the Fellowship Circle at St. John's for many years and held other offices as well. She is survived by daughters Kathleen (Lon) Clark of DeKalb and Darlene (Kerry) Hopperstad of Belvidere; grandchildren Stephen A. Clark of DeKalb and Melissa (Ronald) Adams of Belvidere; step-sister Lucille Kish of South Bend, Indiana; and several nieces and nephews. Predeceased by husband Wilfred, brother Russell Glaser, and grandson Max H.W. Clark.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's United Church of Christ or Visiting Nurses Association Hospice.