Chuck was born to Alfred E. Burkey and Barbara R. (Nee Nelson) Burkey at Downingtown (Dorlan’s Mills) Chester County, Pennsylvania. He attended Downingtown-area schools and was a graduate of Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, Oregon. He was elected Justice of the Peace – West Whiteland Township, Exton, Pennsylvania, and served as a police officer on the West Chester Borough Police Department and West Goshen Township Police Department. He also served as chief of police in Fairview, Oregon. Chuck was a Korean War veteran and served his country in the USAF as an armaments technician. He received an honorable discharge in 1954. Chuck was awarded the UN Service Medal, National Defense Medal, Korean Service Medal (US), and the Korean War Service Medal (Republic of South Korea).
He was a longtime member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Fraternal Order of Police. He worked for 27 years as an inspector for EBI – Liberty Mutual and Valley Insurance companies doing loss prevention in the insurance field.
Chuck played the accordion and organ and was an accomplished ballroom dancer who especially loved the polka. Chuck loved the outdoors, hiking, fishing, clam digging and metal detecting. Chuck is survived by his son, Alfred E. Burkey II, four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and 16 great-great-grandchildren, his sister, Barbara Combs and many nieces and nephews. He was proceeded in death by his parents Alfred and Barbara Burkey, sister Sarah Reed, and twin brothers that died at birth.
Chuck was a conservationist who loved wildlife, especially birds. He was a member of the Audubon Society of Washington, The Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, the World Wildlife Fund, National Wildlife Federation and Natural Resources Defense Council. The family would like to ask that in place of flowers that a donation be made in his name to one of his favorite conservation organizations.
Cremains will be interred at the Forest Hills Cemetery in Cosmopolis, Washington.
