Mr. Burkette was my junior high art teacher about 40 years ago and was one of my favorite teachers. I really enjoyed his class. I was going through a rough time, and he was friendly and very kind to me. I still have some of my art projects which I made in his class - a clay house, pottery, and several drawings. Best wishes to his family.

David and Pat were our neighbors from 1986 until they moved to Winchester a couple of years ago. They were wonderful neighbors and dear friends. Johnny helped David restore his Morgan. We missed them both so much. Unfortunately we will not be able to attend his memorial service since we are in Florida. Libby, thank you for all of the love and care you gave to David and Pat. They will always be in our hearts.

My wonderful friend Dave Burkette was a Theta Chi fraternity brother at East Carolina University. When we both moved to Maryland to begin our teaching careers, we were roommates for about 2 years Dave, at ECU, was known as a really sharp dresser & someone who could take something old & make it look “really cool.” He took the bow tie, wore it in a different way, & all the frat brothers were impressed. His dancing & his sense of humor were also legendary. He wore knickers with argyle sox, & had a wardrobe which was the envy of his brothers. He was an Art major and would brag of how he had to paint nudes (girls) to pass one of his courses. Needless to say, lots of brothers changed their major to art. Dave’s lively personality shows in the photo of him & fellow Theta Chi brother Gary Idol at our wedding in Bryan OH, November 1966. Note the fraternity paddle bearing the crest of Epsilon iota chapter of Theta Chi. Tragically Dave was diagnosed with a Parkinson-like syndrome in 2008. His illness changed his personality, & he became “not the Dave I had known” in the 50 plus years I knew him. He and Patty’s illnesses were in no way deserved, but a tragic ending for 2 wonderful people. Ultimately, he was bedridden in a nursing home. Just before his death, we visited Dave. We showed him the pictures of his participation in our wedding. He couldn’t hold his head up, but could comprehend what we said and showed him. We left feeling incredibly sad & very mortal. A few days later Dave died. His wife Patty had died in June. Besides art, Dave loved antique cars. He restored a Morgan and showed it at antique car shows. At the time of his incapacitation & need to leave Shepherdstown where they had lived for many years, he had to sell his most beloved Morgan. Dave was also an avid biker. Earlier in his life he was a member of a biking group, the Potomac Peddlers, & in the mid ‘’80’s, he & Patty biked in England. Dave & Patty shared a love of the outdoors, & their married life began with a morning wedding ceremony in October 1973 in a meadow near their home. They stood in an arbor of trees, & during their vows a little cat crept along a branch above them. Very fitting for Dave. Following the wedding, my wife & I hosted a wedding luncheon at our home. Dave always referred to Patty as “young-un” tho’ she was only a few months younger than he. When I sent word of Dave’s death to the Theta chi fraternity chapter at ECU, other brothers from our era responded that this is a wake-up call for many who are in Dave’s age group. His death created a major vow among the remaining Brothers to re-unite at homecoming each year. When I sent e-mail to the fraternity brothers, below are some of the responses I received. From Brother Joe Schiavone---- Not only did I have the privilege to know Dave as a brother in 64-65, I had the privilege of spending a few days in the early 2000 years when he was up in Shepherdstown, WV. I was Road Racing in Summit Point, WV, & Dave came to me as he was photographing the different racing cars. We Reunited. The same fantastic Brother. We spent a few days together, & he told me about his Morgan Sports Car he was restoring A Dream of His. I had no Idea at that time how lucky I was to reunite with a past Brother well before he started to lose his health. I was truly blessed to have known Dave & to have those few days 35 years after he left ECU. Dave was SLICK to the point. When I read the news I hurt for Dave but happy for him knowing he is better off now. I Loved that guy & am proud to say that. I am sure Many of our Brotherhood feel the same. From Brother Kent Feddeman Just really well said, Joe. I was not close to Dave but he was one of the original slicks! I was offstage when Dave, on his tricycle, looking up at Chandler, said those famous words in his unique lisp, “At last, I’ve met my only true love.” The rest, gentlemen, is history!! From Brother Chandler Nelms Harward, Thank you for this sad notification. I will try to attend the funeral. And thank you for all that you did for Dave & Patty to make them as comfortable as they could be. From Brother Lou Larson Anyway - like Dave Burkette - and, Ken Conrad - ALL the Theta Chi Brothers were special to those of us that were there (active) at the time. Many, many brothers have passed before us that many of you on this email distribution don't know such as Smokey Moore, Mike Romaniw, Dave Shearin, Charlie Williams, Jimmy Southhall and others at the time I was there including Gary Idol, Mike Brown, Brett Watson, and many more whom we will all join at some point. Hopefully not for a while. Thank you, Dave Burkette, for the wonderful friendship, style, & zest for life which you shared with all of us. May you be blessed in the Chapter Eternal, & may both you & Patty enjoy re-uniting with all the many friends who have gone before you. Harward & Kathie Vashaw

David was incredibly talented in several areas of the arts. He was a very talented artist. Combine his artistic ability with his love for automobiles and he could create his own Concours d'Elegance. Depending on the style that he would use, in some cases you would need to look at the drawing very closely to see if it was a painting or a photograph. Perhaps David should have tried his talents in Hollywood. He was a tremendous singer and dancer. However that was not David’s style. David was very humble and enjoyed the simpler things in life like singing in the church choir. His love for hymns ranged from the classic majestic Amazing Grace to the simple country Church in the Wildwood. You will find that most photos of David are with his wife, Patty. He and Patty fell in love practically the first day they met and were virtually inseparable for the rest of their lives.

Dave was a brother in Christ, a great American patriot, had a superb sense of humor, and was always a delight to be with! He will be greatly missed.

Rest in peace, dear cousin. Thank you for your sense of humor and your smile. You will be missed.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.