Nicholas James Burke aged 89 of North Arlington, NJ passed peacefully with family by his side on December 19,2025.
Visiting will be on Saturday, December 27 from 9:30 to 10:30 am at the Armitage Wiggins Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be at Queen of Peace Church at 11:00 am. Entombment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Nick is survived by his beloved wife, Kathleen née Costello; his devoted son, Michael (Kimberly) Burke, and his treasured granddaughters, Riley Burke and Regan Burke. He was predeceased by his mother Marguerite Glynn Burke, father Nicholas Burke, brother James Burke, sister Margaret Quinn, sister Mary Fine, and granddaughter Corey Lynn Burke.
Nick was born and raised in Hoboken, NJ. After graduating high school, he proudly served in the U.S. Army. Upon being honorably discharged, he opted to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the Hoboken Fire Department before finding his true calling as a high school teacher. For 31 years, Nick taught the youth of Hoboken the fundamentals of photography, woodworking, and printmaking. He also found time to continue his education by obtaining two master’s degrees. After retiring, he stayed busy by volunteering at Queen of Peace church in North Arlington where he worked alongside the Connors, friends who became family.
By his side for the last 66 years was his loyal and loving wife, Kay. They moved from Hoboken to Kearny in the early seventies, where they purchased their first home and raised their son, Michael. Together, Nick and Kay filled their later years by making memories with their cherished granddaughters, Corey, Riley, and Regan. “Pops” was the driver and “Gram” rode shotgun as they took the girls to school, the park, and the zoo, among other favorite spots. The time Nick took to create special moments with his loved ones has left an indelible imprint on their lives.
In lieu of flowers kindly consider a donation to Dominican Republic Mission Team, 13 Faun Dr., Wallingford, CT 06492