Sister Keri Burke, MSC

Sr. Keri Lynn Burke, MSC was born April 23, 1969 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  She died in Opelousas, Louisiana on April 21, 2019 at 11:45 PM surrounded by members of her loving family and her Marianite Sisters.

Sr. Keri is survived by her parents, Deacon Harold and Leah Burke of Pearl River, LA, a brother, Donovan Burke (Brigitte), two sisters, Kelly Corkern (Jimmy) and KaseyWalker (Rob) along with nieces, nephews and grandnieces. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Ed and Sandy Barrios and Harold, Sr. and Barbara Burke.

Sr. Keri entered the Congregation of the Marianites of Holy Cross on January 6, 2003.  She pronounced her perpetual vows on September 24, 2011.  She graduated from Redemptorist Catholic of Baton Rouge, and received degrees in education from Louisiana Tech University, Loyola University of New Orleans and St. Edwards University of Austin.  She was involved in high school education in New Orleans at Cabrini and De La Salle High Schools.  She also taught at John Paul II in Slidell and at San Juan Diego in Austin, TX.  Always ready to serve young people in various aspects of their growth and development, she ministered as a high school coach to numerous ball teams modeling leadership and team building skills to them.  She also became the certified driver of more than one team providing bus transportation to their many events.  Sr. Keri was an active member of Catholic Leadership Institute and Teens Encounter Christ retreat teams in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.  In 2014, she moved to New Orleans from Austin to serve as Campus Minister at the University of Holy Cross.  She also served on the Advisory Board of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Nursing Home and was involved in many of the activities of the Nursing Home.  In June of 2017, Sr. Keri was elected by her Marianite Sisters to serve on the MSC Congregational Leadership Team.

We render thanks to our good and gracious God for the gift of Sr. Keri in the life of her family, the Marianites of Holy Cross, and the Church.  Her dedicated service to people of all ages was the treasure she generously offered knowing full well that: “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”  (2 Corinthians 4:7) We miss you, Keri, and pray, that until we meet again, may we all be held in the palm of God’s hand!