Robert Burke

Robert “Bob” H. Burke, 82, of Topeka, passed away on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at his home. He was born on October 12, 1943, in Hutchinson, Kansas and was preceded in death by his father Loren Joseph (Joe) Burke and his mother Mary Neoma Hutton Burke. Bob was a member of St Matthew Catholic Church and was a member of the Topeka High School Class of 1961.

Bob married Priscilla Jane Degenhardt on July 20, 1968 in Topeka. They shared 57 years together until Bob’s passing.

Bob was the strongest, most resilient man you can imagine, even though his body failed him early in life. He overcame a lifetime of crippling physical disabilities, and he endured pain and suffering that would make most people give up. Yet he did it all with a smile, wit, and love, so he could make the most out of life, provide for his family, and make the world a better place for everyone.

Throughout his life, Bob worked hard to support his family and no job was ever too big or too small. As a young man, he worked as a Lifeguard at the downtown Topeka YMCA, an ambulance attendant (before the advent of paramedics), served as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff, drove a school bus for Topeka Public Schools, and he drove a tow truck for Edsel’s Wrecker Service.

Bob obtained a certificate in Radiologic Technology from the University of Kansas Medical Center and became a certified and Registered X-Ray Tech working at St. Francis, Stormont Vail, and Memorial Hospital in Topeka during the 1970s.

He was a Licensed and talented Realtor throughout the 1980s in Topeka and the surrounding area.

Bob served as an Investigator for the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office in the 1990s and 2000s. He had a reputation for being able to find any witness, anywhere. Whether you were hiding at a friend’s house in east Topeka, on a beach in Southern California, or even overseas, Bob would find you and get you served your subpoena.

Bob loved the outdoors. He was an Eagle Scout and led his three sons to obtain their Eagle Scout rank too. Bob participated in BSA National Jamborees in 1957, 1985, and 1989, and attended Camp Jayhawk and the Philmont Scout Ranch with his family. Bob served scouting as a Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, and District Commissioner.

Bob frequently volunteered his time and talents, and he had a passion for public service and helping others. He loved working the annual Labor Day MDA telethon in Topeka with his boys, he was a little league baseball coach, he served on the Shawnee County Civil Service Board, he was a Red Cross Volunteer working many local and regional disasters including the Moore Oklahoma EF5 tornado, he volunteered at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, and he loved working crowd control next to the KU bench during KU men’s Basketball games throughout the late 1980’s through the 2000’s.

Bob was a passionate disability-rights advocate. He was the founder and President of AccessUSA and he helped introduce and lobby for the first legislation in Kansas implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He worked with the State of Kansas, local municipalities, and the University of Kansas to bring their facilities into ADA compliance, and in the 1990’s, he was commissioned by the Shawnee County Sheriff to enforce handicap parking violations in Topeka.

Bob inspired his boys with his curiosity and enthusiasm for life. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He taught his boys car and home maintenance skills and instilled the importance of helping others and overcoming obstacles and challenges in life with determination, planning, grit, and hard work. Bob loved to travel with the family. He traveled to Thailand with his son Jeff in his retirement, but road trips were his specialty. Bob was an expert at long road trips across the country. He would drive anywhere, no matter the distance, and he was not a fan of stopping for restroom breaks, often making sure to pack an empty Folgers can…just in case.

Bob was a true hero. On one family camping trip in Colorado, he suddenly stopped the car and rushed to a roadside stream to save a man who was fishing and got his legs stuck in some rocks. If not for Bob seeing the man struggling and going to help, that man would have drowned. Once the man was safe, Bob just got back in the car and continued to our camping site.

In his retirement, when his ability to get out and about was limited, Bob’s favorite hobbies were sitting on the front porch and smoking his pipe, watching KU and Chiefs games on TV, and spending time with his family.

Bob is survived by his wife Priscilla J. Burke; his sons, Chadwick Hutton Burke (Tonya) of Shawnee, KS; Bradley Robert Burke (Robin) of Shawnee, KS; and Jeffrey John Burke (Chantana “Noi”) of Topeka, KS; Grandchildren: Eva, Aiden, John, Lauren, Nicholas, and Christopher; his sister Mary Jo Kenny (Paul) of Highlands, NJ; sister-in-law Joann (Lyle), brothers-in-law Ernie (Tish) and Ray (Donna), and a loving extended family of nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces, and cousins.

A visitation with the family will be from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. on Sunday, November 23, 2025, with a rosary prayed at 2:15pm at Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00am. On Monday, November 24, 2025, at St. Matthew Catholic Church, with interment to follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Topeka, Kansas.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Matthew Catholic Church or the Muscular Dystrophy Association and may be left or mailed to Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW Sixth Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66603.