Helen "Punky" Burke

January 27, 1934 - December 14, 2021

Helen “Punky” Burke, age 87, passed away Tuesday, December 14th 2021 peacefully in the comfort of her Hilton Head home surrounded by family, friends and beloved caregivers Sally Leviner and Kay Watson. Born January 27th 1934 in Lorain, OH, Punky spent her early years in Lorain before moving to Sheffield Lake, OH where she was a 1952 graduate of Brookside High School and later raised her 6 children. After, the loss of her first husband Henry Abrahamowicz, Punky moved to Alexandria, VA where she met her late husband Charles Sinclair Taylor Burke Jr. and they resided on the Potomac River until Taylor’s passing in 2001. Most recently, Punky spent the last 9 years in Hilton Head Island, SC to be closer to her daughter Mary. Punky will be remembered as fearless, feisty and generous. She was a devoted member of the Saints Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church in Lorain, OH. She loved Elvis Presley, going shopping, and the color (Punky) Pink! She is survived by her younger sister Sonya Rulli of Hamilton, OH; her five children Mary Jarosz, Ann Toth (George), George Abrahamowicz, Victor Abrahamowicz, and Sonya Coulter; adored by her 13 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren; cherished by many nieces and nephews. She will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by the members of The Rulli Family, The Abrahamowicz Family, The Sherban Family, and The Burke Family. She was preceded in death by her parents Mary and Michael Sherban, her first husband Henry Abrahamowicz, her brother Stephan Sherban, her daughter Alecia Ulcar(Matt), her first grandchild Joseph Henry Smith, and her late and loving husband C.S. Taylor Burke Jr. A private family Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.