Former Farmingdale Councilwoman, Borough Clerk Jean Burke Mourned

FARMINGDALE, NJ — A funeral Mass has been set for Jean Anne Trynosky Burke, who served as Farmingdale's municipal clerk and tax collector for many years. She died Dec. 27, 2018 at the age of 83, according to her obituary on the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home website.

She was born in Ashland, PA, Jean spent her childhood years in Girardville, PA. She graduated from St. Vincent de Paul Grammar School and Girardville High School. She later lived in Warehouse Point, Connecticut, and in Newark, NJ, before she adopted Farmingdale as her hometown and living there for more than 50 years.

Jean served as Farmingdale's municipal clerk, its tax collector and as the assistant to the zoning officer. She also served on the Borough Council and on the borough's Planning Board. She also served as tax collector for Brielle. Prior to her municipal service, she worked as administrative assistant to the president of Compounders, Inc. Afterward, Jean served as a mortgage loan officer for Midlantic, Countrywide and Natwest.

In addition to her municipal service, Jean served at various times as an usher at 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Farmingdale, as a Cub Scout den mother, and PTA member. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother.

Jean is predeceased by her parents, John Trynosky and Mildred Swenson Trynosky. Jean is survived by her beloved husband, Michael Burke of Farmingdale; her son, Michael John Burke, and his wife, Mary, of Farmingdale; Jiji to grandchildren, Katie, Mikey and Alex; her sister Tina; her cousin Ronald; and many more cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

"Jean had an abiding love of family, church and country," her family said. "She made it a personal mission to see that as many veterans as possible were remembered on the National World War II Memorial Registry and spent numerous hours adding the names of thousands of veterans to the online registry, many now deceased, but there legacies now duly noted. Jean said that she never forgot that it was these brave people who saved America and preserved it as a free country and was determined to honor as many veterans as she could."

The family said that out of respect for Jean’s expressed wishes, there will be no viewing or cemetery funeral ceremony. There will be a funeral Mass at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 31 Asbury Road, Farmingdale, NJ at 10 a.m. on Friday, January 4, 2019.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Jean’s name may be made to St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, Farmingdale, NJ. For information, directions, or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.

Photo by Karen Wall, Patch staff