Robin (Rob) Burke
Robin (Rob) Burke, age 75, passed away peacefully on July 13, 2024, in Rueil-Malmaison, asuburb of Paris, France, with his wife of over 34 years, Nancy Burke, and his daughter, Christa Gallagher, at his side.
Rob was born on April 22, 1949, in Silver Creek, New York. While attending Dunkirk HighSchool, he worked at local radio station WDOE and developed a lifelong passion for radio and other technology. Rob graduated from Dunkirk High in 1967 and volunteered for the Air Force shortly thereafter. In 1969 he married Ann Powell, and in 1970 they welcomed their daughter Christa Ann to the world while stationed overseas in Tehran, Iran. In the early 70’s they returned to the States, first living in Florida (where Rob would take Christa to watch rocket launches from Cape Canaveral), and eventually settling in Fort Collins, Colorado. While in Fort Collins, Rob attended Colorado State University and graduated with a dual Bachelor of Arts in Technical Journalism and Cinematography in 1978. In the late 80s he renewed a high school friendship with Nancy Parmelee, and they married in 1989. In 1993 Rob and Nancy lived for six months in Bristol, England. Enjoying the many adventures and challenges of life as ex-pats, they relocated in 1996 to Vaucresson, a suburb of Paris. There they shared their home with beloved black cats Gamay and Cassie and, more recently, Maggie and Jamie (also black!). Rob’s interests in radio and tech shaped much of his life. He enjoyed operating his ham radio (call sign W2RSB), his weekly chats with childhood friend Charlie, and listening to radio chatter from the International Space Station. He worked in the tech sector from 1983 to 2009, serving as a marketing director for Colorado Memory Systems, Hewlett-Packard, and Tandberg Storage ASA before joining Gartner, a multinational IT firm, as a research vice president. After leaving Gartner, Rob started VillageVues.com, a virtual graphic design company, and developed Navigating French Markets, an app to guide tourists through Paris. Both he and Nancy were active in the Friday Tour Group, for which he maintained a website and provided Zoom support when needed. Rob was a man of many talents. He enjoyed racing a Triumph Spitfire with the Sports Car Club of America as well as downhill skiing and woodworking, passions that he passed on to his daughter Christa. Rob was an exemplary cook and took pleasure in making dinners for Nancyand their guests in Vaucresson, as well as making cooking tutorials for his grandsons. He sharedhis photography skills with many over the years and was well known in Vaucresson for his expertly carved jack-o’-lanterns. At Christmas time he and Nancy would share personalized calendars and deliver Christmas cookies to their friends and neighbors.
He is survived by his wife Nancy Burke; former wife Ann (Harvey) Goldberg; daughter Christa (Mark) Gallagher; grandsons Nick, Peter, and Andrew Gallagher; sisters- and brothers-in law Ann (Gary) Towner and Donna Parmelee (William Nolting); nieces Sarah (Stephen) Haynes and Emily (Landon) Isaacs; nephew Brian (Faith) Towner; one great niece; and seven great nephews.
Rob was cremated, with the date for a celebration of life to be determined later.
Memorial donations may be made by mail to AARL, The National Association of Amateur Radio(arrl.org/ways-to-support-the-arrl-foundation) or online to the AARL Education & Technology Fund (home.arrl.org/action/Donate) or to a charity of your choice.
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