WHEREAS, Lewis Eugene Burke, a veteran and a respected member of the Centreville community, died on December 20, 2019; and
WHEREAS, Lewis "Lew" Eugene Burke was born in 1923 to the late Harry and Elnorah Brown Burke in Arlington, where he graduated from what is now Washington-Liberty High School; and
WHEREAS, Lew Burke joined many of the other young men of his generation in service to the nation during World War II as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps; and
WHEREAS, during the war, Lew Burke piloted the venerable B-17 Flying Fortress as a member of the 398th Bombardment Group (Heavy); he participated in 29 missions over Europe and was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster for his meritorious service; and
WHEREAS, after his honorable discharge, Lew Burke returned to the Commonwealth and pursued a career with the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company; and
WHEREAS, predeceased by two sons, Lewis, Jr., and Robert, Lew Burke will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 37 years, Lillie; his stepchildren; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Lewis Eugene Burke; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Lewis Eugene Burke as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.