Obituaries 03-21-2019

Marylee Burke

Former Lynn Assistant Personnel Director

Marylee (Hughes) Burke of Rochester died March 16 peacefully at home  surrounded by her family after a long illness. She was 59 years old.

She was the beloved wife of CDR Stephen V. Burke, USN (Ret).

Born in Everett, daughter of Anita P. (Bigley) Hughes of Wakefield  and the late Joseph W. Hughes, she was raised in Lynn and graduated from St. Mary’s High School.  She lived in San Diego, CA and Springfield, VA while her husband served in the U.S. Navy before moving to Rochester, MA in 2004 to raise their family.

She was formerly employed as assistant personnel director for the City of Lynn and was later an administrative assistant at Tabor Academy.

Marylee always showed love and care to everybody she ever knew or met.  A dedicated member of her family and the local community, her positive personality and comforting presence was contagious to everybody around her.  She loved singing to begin her mornings and  she loved listening to her favorite songs of the 60s, 70s, and 80s on Oldies 103.3 radio.  Her natural ability to bring a smile to anyone’s face was admirable and reflective of her caring soul.  Her loving presence will be sorely missed.

Survivors include her husband; her mother; a son, Stephen J. Burke of Rochester; a daughter, Erin P. Burke of Rochester; a sister, JoAnn Gallant and her husband, Paul of North Reading; two brothers, Paul Hughes and his wife, Lisa of Rochester and Joseph Hughes, Jr. of Lynn; her lifelong friend, Mary Calnan of Lynnfield and numerous nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 22 at 11 a.m. in St. Anthony’s Church.  Visiting hours will be Thursday, March 21 from 3 to 8 p.m. in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett.  Private burial will be in the Massachusetts National Cemetery at a later date. 

We wish to acknowledge the wonderful team at Mass General Hospital, including Dr. Aditya Bardia, and  to support advances in metastatic breast cancer research. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Marylee may be made online atwww.giving.massgeneral.org(note “in memory of Marylee Burke” in the tribute section) or via check to MGH (note “in memory of  Marylee Burke” in the memo line).   Checks may be sent to MGH Development Office, Attn: Megan Daniels, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114. For directions and guestbook, please visitwww.saundersdwyer.com.

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