James P. Burke, 94, died at his home in La Plata, Maryland on Veterans Day, November 11, 2010. He was born in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania on July 20, 1916.

He relocated to the D.C. Area during his teens and graduated from Eastern High School in the District of Columbia. Mr. Burke served in WWII in the U.S. Army as part of the military government in France and Germany. Mr. Burke spent his career at the U.S. State Department as Chief of the Records Division until his retirement in 1971. He was an archivist representing the U.S. State Department at the Paris Peace Conference following WWII.

He is preceded in death by his parents Daniel Harold Burke and Florence Dixon Burke, brothers Harold and William Burke and sister Florence Burke Bedingfield.

Mr. Burke is survived by his sister Rose T. Burke, nephews: John Burke(Karen), Daniel Burke, William Burke(Carolyn), Michael Burke(Bobbi), James Bedingfield and Robert Bedingfield(Margie), nieces: Martina Burke O'Neil(Dennis), Susan Burke Bowling(Clark), Joan Bedingfield Crown(Meredith), and many great nieces and nephews.

Viewing will be on Monday November 22, 2010 from 2-4 and 6-8 at Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home in Charlotte Hall, MD with Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary's Newport Catholic Church in Charlotte Hall at 11 am Tuesday, November 23, 2010 followed by interment at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery.

Donations can be made to Hospice of Charles County or to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis TN.

Arrangements provided by Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home.