Ronald J Burke was born on May 7, 1938 to Eloise Kidd & Forrest N Burke.

He spent his childhood in West Stafford, Ct where he saved his nickels until he could get a pint of vanilla ice cream instead of a single cone, spent hours in the woods and the fly pond and listened to "The Shadow" on the radio with his grandfather (who ordered a decoder ring for him).

Ron's parents boarded ponies in the winter so he and his brother could ride.  When one of the ponies took off in the snowy field, his mom, in her nightgown and robe, caught the pony by the lead rope and was dragged through the snow.  Ron said "Mom said words I didn't know she even knew".

His 1st job was in tobacco and when he graduated from Windham Tech he was drafted into the Army.  He spent 2 years in the service at Fort Knox, Ky and Fort Polk, La training in armor tanks.  He was "the old man's driver and was a "Master Gunner".  After his service he married and began his family life and building their home.  One of his first jobs after marriage was a test driver for the Ford Comet at Daytona Speedway, from there he became a company driver for trucking firms and eventually became an Owner Operator.

As it happens in life, things change, so began Ron's second marriage, forming an extended family and moving to a new community.  His career change to General Dynamics brought him to the tugboat "Kelsey" as Chief Engineer.  Ron was a "traveling man" being raised to the 3rd degree in June 1983 as a Master Mason following the teachings of the Free Masons until he became the Master of his lodge in 1989.

Ron had so many interests; boating, fishing and camping.  He could fix anything and gladly did it for anyone who asked.  He loved traveling "let's see where this road goes" and has family & friends from Juneau, Alaska to South Addison, ME from Tucson, Az to Key West Fl.

He was an honorable and loyal friend to so  many people.  Ron had an innate love of all (well most, there was a bull in a field he wasn't fond of) animals and had several horses, dogs and cats.  His last dog Sam came from the Stonington Pound and went everywhere with him.

Among his nicknames, two are most notable; the kids started calling him "Capt. Ron" after the movie by the same name and "The Condiment King" for his fondness for anything that comes in a squeeze bottle.

Ron and Sam are on a new journey now, one we must all take, but one of peace and joy and as all good mariners say, "he's had a good run".

Ron leaves his best friend and wife Kathy, former wife Judy and their children David, Dale and Paula, (Gary) and Kathy's children Julie (John) and Chris (Rachel), 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren and his brother Forrest "Buddy" Burke.