Clifford M. "Gator" or "J.R." Burke Jr.

Clifford M. Burke Jr., aka “Gator” or “J.R.”, age 63, of the town of Chelsea, died Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield after a short battle with cancer.

He was born December 6, 1960 in Polo, IL to Clifford Sr. and Shirley (Peters) Burke.  In 1977, the family moved to Medford where J.R. finished his senior year of high school, graduating in 1978.

Following high school, J.R. enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in El Paso, TX, where he was a demolition expert and heavy equipment operator. He served from 1978 until his honorable discharge in 1981.  He then joined the Army Reserves and was deployed during Operation Desert Storm.  During his military service, J.R. became disabled, but that never got in the way of him living a good life.

On February 14, 1989, J.R. married Gale Kowalewski.  They resided in the town of Chelsea.  J.R.’s employment included working for the railroad, a mink processing business, Northern Cabinetry in Rib Lake, and retiring from Abbyland Pork Plant in Curtiss. 

He was a talented welder and made art out of metal.  He was quite a handyman and helped friends out with their projects as he was able and fixed many cars over the years.  He loved to sit on his front porch which he called his “man cave” where he admired the many, many bar signs he had collected. 

J.R. will be remembered for his great sense of humor and being a jokester.  He was a competitive guy and enjoyed playing pool and darts and was in leagues for both; playing board games, pinball and cards; hunting; singing karaoke; and cheering on the Packers, unless they were playing the Bears.  An avid fisherman, he was featured on the front page of the Price County newspaper for catching a record breaking 46” northern pike on Long Lake! 

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Gale of Chelsea; daughters, Darla (Skip) Williamson, Duska Bonser, all of Medford; sister, Penny Olson of Troy, Missouri; and grandchildren, Preston Sauer, Aryana and Braelyn Williamson, Isabella and Devon Bronser Jr.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

A Celebration of J.R.’s life will be held at 12 p.m., Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at Hemer-Pickerign Funeral Home in Medford.  Military honors provided by the Medford Area Military Honors Team will follow.  Interment will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Rib Lake, with a lunch following at Gale and J.R.’s home.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 12 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

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