Obituary of Dennis Anthony Burke

Dennis A. Burke passed away October 24, 2021, in Puyallup, Washington.  He was born October 14, 1940 to William and Lillian Burke in Seattle, Washington.  He was an Olympia resident for more than 28 years.

Dennis earned a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington, and worked as a Professional Civil and Environmental Engineer.  He ran several companies, including Western Environmental Engineering, Cyclus Envirosystems, Sustainable Enterprises, Parkland Water, and Puget Construction.  He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Michael Catholic Church.

Dennis loved his family, nature, camping, science, and cowboys and Indians.

He is survived by his sons, Brian, Timothy and Sean Burke; daughters, Jennifer Echtle and Linda Burke; and brothers, Paddy Burke, Emmett Burke and Brian Burke. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Darl Ann Litchfield Burke (8/5/2017).

By daughters, Jennifer Echtle and Linda Burke:

Our father was an intelligent man who played chess with all of his children and taught them to think ahead and figure out a plan for their lives early on in life. Few could beat him at chess.

He was a successful Engineer, owning several businesses in the toughest of economic times. He owned and operated Puget Construction Company, American Engineering Associates, Environmental Engineering Associates, Cyclus Envirosystems, and spent the last 35 years innovating solutions to convert waste to energy technologies and solutions for the climate crisis, as well as water and wastewater issues locally. He owned over 25 patents for solutions to help the lives of others. Five of those patents are still active today. 

Dad saw a problem and tried to find a solution. Someone notified him of the lack of water in Stringtown, outside of Ilwaco, Washington, and he obtained grants, worked with the city, and designed and supervised the building of a reservoir in the mountains near town to serve as a freshwater source, not only for Ilwaco, but the surrounding areas as well. Dad took the five kids camping the night before his meeting with the City Council of Ilwaco to explain his plan.  We were hiking down the creek when we saw him up the mountain pointing out where the reservoir would be.  As I recall, Dad didn’t appreciate the waving and yelling from below that interrupted his meeting. 

Early on in his career, Dad read the original papers on waste management that others interpreted as 50% of municipal waste being refractor.  But because he was a careful reader he read that within our current technology that only 50% of material could be reduced with digestion.  He designed the Anoxic Gas Floatation technology that could digest up to 90% of some wastes and convert them to natural gas.  This innovation is currently being used and developed worldwide. He read constantly, with journals, papers and books taking over his office space for decades.  

Dad owned and managed the smallest water system in the state to serve his home and the surrounding homes on the land that he bought, subdivided and sold to create his own beloved space. HIs neighbors appreciate the lowest water fees in the state. 

He raised five children with his lovely wife, Darl Ann Burke. They raised a house with their children, and enjoyed 12 grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Mom was a very special, creative, wife and mom, and they always celebrated every birthday, holiday, and memorable event with family.  

Dad made an equal opportunity home for his children; the girls were allowed to run the chainsaws and split the wood and drive the motorcycle equally with the men in the family. And, Yes, he appreciated the work equally. He would tell us to split wood for warmth and make our own jam if we wanted it.  He would spend stormy nights telling tales of the Nisqual who would attack children and chase them through the woods.  He loved the outdoors and nature. He spent his youth exploring and surveying Alaska, and the rivers and tribal lands of Washington. 

He went to schools in California, and Chicago, as well as the University of Washington, where he worked his own way through college and earned his Civil Engineering stamp. He was first employed on the East Coast at Schneider Engineering and had a beautiful home in Bradford Woods outside of Pittsburg. There Dad and Mom raised the first three of their children before moving back to Washington to start Dad’s own company.  

Dad loved having family hear his stories of funny conquests in business, politics, news of the day, and the glory of his grandchildren’s accomplishments.  He would always ask “What are you going to do now?”--waiting to hear good things to come.  Dad was and always will be a person who aimed high for himself and those around him.  

His legacy shows in the careers of his children and grandchildren. Sean and Brian Burke run municipal wastewater treatment plants in Seattle.  Timothy earned his engineering degree from the University of Washington.  Linda worked for years as a research scientist, and Jennifer is a science teacher. His grandson, Alex Echtl, earned a degree in electrical engineering; and his grandson, Michael, is on his way to a civil engineering degree in college. Scientific thinking and a passion for improving the world are his legacy. 

By brother, Padraic Burke:

 A fighter.  That’s how he saw himself.  That’s how he would have liked to be remembered. That’s what he was.

Remembering his wrestling days in his last illness, he kept on saying, “I just have to push through it.  That’s what I did when I was up against someone bigger and stronger.  I have to push myself through it.”

It was that same perseverance and determined spirit that had served him so well throughout his life. 

As a skinny 14-year-old freshman in high school, it got him on the varsity wrestling team and elected captain of his college wrestling team. 

“Pushing,” always pushing, got him got him through many difficult situations throughout his professional life, situations that would have defeated someone less determined.  “Keep pushing,” he kept reminding himself, and anyone who would listen: “Good things will happen.”  

Being a fighter is not always the only or the best response to life’s roadblocks and detours.   He knew that too.  He wanted to spend more time with his children and grandchildren, all of whom he loved, unconditionally.

He wanted to ease up, to “stop and smell the roses,” as he often said.  But he knew no other way. 

When his physicians at the University of Washington told him his heart was failing, he knew they were right, but he didn’t give up.  He kept on pushing.

That’s how he left us.

In the end, in his last days, battered and bruised, he never stopped fighting until his weakened body at last gave out.

He’s at rest now.  The constant struggle of fighting against the odds is over. 

The memory of the fighter remains with his children, grandchildren and all who loved him.

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