Jerry Alan Burke

Jerry Alan Burke, age 85 of Petersburg, WV died on Friday, September 30, 2022 as a result of an automobile accident.

Jerry was born on June 30, 1937 in Elkins, WV and was preceded in death by his parents, John and Iyone Burke; his wife, Janet (Berg) Burke; and an infant son, Jonathan Burke. 

Jerry is survived by two sons, John P. Burke of Sterling, VA and James R. Burke of Moorefield, WV; one sister, Beverly George of Coalton, WV; one nephew, Randy George (Bobbi Jean) of Coalton, WV; and a niece, Cindy Marsh (Wilson) of Coalton, WV.

Jerry and Janet met as employees of the Food and Drug Administration in Washington, DC in 1959.  They were married April 15, 1961.

Jerry was a member of Grace Lutheran Church where he served on the Church Council for many years.  Before moving to Petersburg, he was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Alexandria, VA for 33 years, serving as a trustee for many years. Jerry grew up in Ellamore, WV, graduated Buckhannon-Upshur High School in 1955 and West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1959 with a degree in chemistry.  Jerry did graduate work in chemistry at American and Georgetown Universities in Washington, DC. He joined the US Food and Drug Administration, August 3, 1959 as an analytical research chemist, retiring April 3, 1993 after serving in several management positions in the Center for Food Safety.  He and the research group he led were internationally known for their work in developing analytical methods for pesticide and other chemical residues in food.  Jerry was recognized with the FDA Award of Merit in 1965, 1976, and 1986, and the FDA Distinguished Service Award in 1993. He was selected as a Fellow of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists in 1974. 

Jerry was on the Grant County Board for Parks and Recreation, serving as president for many years.  He was an Endowment Life Member of the National Rifle Association, Member of the National Wild Turkey Federation from its beginning, Life Member Trout Unlimited, Member of the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and other conservation organizations. He was a member of the Dorcas Ruritan Club. Jerry was recognized for his stewardship of the Spring Run and Fly-Fishing Catch-and-Release project with the 1999 West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Sportsman of the Year Award. In 2017 he received Trout Unlimited Silver Trout Award, for his role in stream conservation and efforts leading to WV Division of Natural Resources acquisition of Spring Run property for management as a wild trout fishery for fly fishing catch-and-release.  Throughout his life, beginning in high school, Jerry advocated for good conservation practices and sound government management of fish and wildlife habitat and public lands, and he supported politicians who held similar views. Jerry believed we have a responsibility for taking good care of God’s creation.  Jerry believed anglers and hunters should belong to a conservation organization, such as the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, to help stay informed about conservation issues and to fight to protect what they love. 

Jerry and Janet retired to Petersburg in 1994 where Jerry looked forward to caring for and sharing the fly fishing, catch-and-release project on Spring Run.  Jerry and Janet, along with two other couples, bought the property in 1980 from Fleta Shobe, widow of Harrison Shobe.  Jerry and Harrison, who started the fly-fishing project in 1964, became friends after meeting in 1966.  Jerry and Janet added to the property in 2008.  During 36 plus years, Jerry and partners owned the property provided no-cost permits to fly fish, catch and release.  These permits were issued to 945 individuals.

Stewardship of Spring Run brought with it joy and sorrows. In 1994, until around 2004, Spring Run was visited by fly fishermen from 23 states. Each spring, teachers from Moorefield High or Middle Schools brought a select group of kids for a conservation field day. Fly fishing was introduced in the physical education program at Moorefield High School. An informal group, Friends of Spring Run Wild Trout, led by Jerry, received four annual awards for trout habitat rehabilitation after the 1996 flood.  Spring Run was featured in ESPN’s Fly-Fishing America show broadcast nationally in 1999. Jerry was named WV Division of Natural Resources in 1999 Sportsman of the Year.  Spring Run begin to show signs of deterioration in the early 2000’s, with damage caused by excessive pollution from the upstream WVDNR trout rearing facility, which was increasing trout production, apparently without concern about effects of waste discharge on downstream health. Jerry, once a strong supporter of WVDNR, was saddened when the agency lost its way around 2000-2007 as it continued excessive pollution from the trout hatchery without regard for this unique wild trout stream and its place in West Virginia’s future. Hatchery pollution caused a dramatic decline in the great aquatic insect population which fed the large rainbow trout of Spring Run until the Run could no longer support the large rainbow trout. Changes made by the WV Division of Highways to the nearby roadway in the late 1990’s, and subsequent inadequate maintenance practices led to increased sediment entering Spring Run.  Land use practices on some upstream properties led to erosion and sediment entering Spring Run.  Without exceptional fishing, many fishermen stopped coming. Pleas to WVDNR and WV Division of Highways and to State political leaders by Jerry and others were not heeded. Certain landowners did not utilize available government programs to reduce sediment run off. WVDOH resisted using common-sense, low-cost road maintenance procedures to reduce sediment entry into Spring Run, even as many people and local government officials repeatedly asked this agency to do better.

It was Jerry’s fervent hope that West Virginia citizens and sportsmen and women would speak out and strongly support conservation of fish and wildlife habitat and refuse to tolerate the attitudes of politicians, government officials and landowners who failed to do what is right. 

WVDNR, with a new director in 2015, took a renewed interest in Spring Run and its wild trout fishery, leading to the purchase of the Burke and partners property in March 2017 for a fly fishing, catch-and-release public fishery, fulfilling Jerry’s dream of protecting Spring Run for future generations to enjoy. Jerry warned that fishermen must hold WVDNR accountable for good management and law enforcement to protect this great wild trout stream, which now belongs to the public, and pressure WVDOH to replace an outdated approach to road maintenance with practices which protect Spring Run from sediment. After years of owning Spring Run, West Virginia, DNR’s stream habitat maintenance has been disappointing to Jerry and other fishers, past and present.

From an early age, Jerry liked to fish, followed by hunting squirrel and rabbit and after college, deer and turkey.  Janet accompanied him on many trips to Montana, Wisconsin and Colorado.  Jerry was fortunate to fish in New Zealand and Alaska. He was always happy to get back to Spring Run, especially before the great fishery was badly damaged.  Jerry enjoyed hunting, especially turkey, and was always grateful to local landowners who permitted him to hunt turkey and deer with bow or rifle.

Jerry and Janet enjoyed many long driving trips together, and in earlier years, traveling and camping with their sons, John and James.  Jerry and Janet like to watch Pittsburgh Pirates baseball, college basketball and boxing on TV. Jerry was a fan of classic country music and often attended Country Store Opry shows with Janet.  Jerry always took pride in Janet’s support for the Spring Run project, his hunting and fishing interests, her concern for others and role at Grace Lutheran Church.

As fishing and hunting declined, Jerry continued to call attention to conservation problems and opportunities, such as reducing mowing and encouraging “edge cover” in selected areas of Grant County Parks, as well as elimination of destructive mining of stone from South Branch Potomac River in mid-town Petersburg.

Jerry’s “Glimpse of a Turkey Hunter” is expected to be included in the National Wild Turkey Federation upcoming publication celebrating NWTF’s first 50 years.

Jerry's family will receive friends Sunday, October 9, 2022 from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Schaeffer Funeral Home in Petersburg, WV.

Joint Funeral Services will be Monday, October 10, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Petersburg .  

Interment will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery, Petersburg, WV.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Grace Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 385, Petersburg, WV 26847, or Gideons International or to a conservation organization.

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