William T. Burke, Jr., 83, of Andover, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 26, 2026, his eighty-third birthday, surrounded by his family at Lawrence General Hospital in Lawrence.
Born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 1943, he was the son of the late William T. Burke, Sr. and the late Lillian Jane (Davin) Burke. Bill grew up in Tewksbury and was educated in the Tewksbury schools before going on to Merrimack College, where he earned his bachelor's degree in accounting.
On November 19, 1966, Bill married the former Gail L. Del Rosso, and together they built a life and a family that spanned nearly sixty years.
Bill spent his professional career with the Internal Revenue Service, serving as an Internal Auditor at the Andover Service Center for nearly thirty years before retiring in 1999.
A devoted sports fan, Bill followed his beloved Red Sox faithfully and was a season ticket holder for 45 years. He also had a deep and lasting passion for genealogy, spending countless hours tracing his family's history and traveling to Ireland on several occasions to continue his research and to connect with distant relatives. Above all, Bill treasured the time he spent with his family. He was a longtime communicant of St. Augustine Parish in Andover.
In addition to his beloved wife, Gail L. (Del Rosso) Burke, Bill is survived by his son, Mike Burke and his wife Patsy of Reading, and his daughter, Alison Kerrigan and her husband Kevin of Reading; his three cherished grandchildren, Lindsey Kerrigan of Medford, Veronica Burke of Lowell, and Griffin Burke of Reading; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Bill was the brother of the late Betty Jane Donald of Colorado, and the cousin and dear friend of the late Cheryl Horowitz.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours on Sunday, August 2, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Tewksbury Funeral Home, 1 Dewey Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876.
His funeral service of remembrance will be on Monday morning, at 10:00 a.m. at the Tewksbury Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Spring Grove Cemetery, 124 Abbot Street, Andover, MA 01810.
Please consider a donation in his memory to the Jimmy Fund at https://www.jimmyfund.org/