Conor George Burke of Wilmington, DE, aged 52 years, died on December 16, 2024.
Conor was born on September 11, 1972 to Patrick and Elizabeth Burke of Wilmington, DE. He grew up in Wilmington with his family and close to his cousins, Mike, John and Ciara Lynch.
Conor is survived by his mother, Elizabeth, his three siblings, Katherine (Kristian), Paul (Lisa), his twin sister Ashling (Brad) in addition to his nieces and nephews, Sophie and Declan Pollard, Anya and Cian Burke, Orla and Finn Gonzales-Burke and his girlfriend Candace. He is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and many good friends. He is predeceased by his father, Patrick.
Conor had a heart of gold; anyone from his childhood or adult life could confirm this. He was gentle and kind, and always took the time to help people around him. His young niece and nephew would run out to hug and greet him whenever he came to visit - as he often brought something he thought they would like, and they loved to watch whatever work he was doing.
As a child, Conor had an uncanny ability to notice the little things that everyone else missed. If something was lost, Conor would be the one to find it. This eye for detail expressed itself in various ways - he was good at photography, at carpentry, at putting things together, and seeing what did and didn’t work. This was one of many things that made Conor unique and special in a way that those around him could see, but too often, he could not.
Conor had a great love for the outdoors — tubing, kayaking and hiking, as well as planting, nurturing and growing everything from vegetables to flowers to his beloved trees. He would amaze his family by overwintering tropical plants indoors and bringing them back to lush outdoor life in the spring. His work as a tree guy allowed him to be outside and climb trees - something he would have loved to imagine himself doing as a child. This love was sparked by his first job at Always the Garden where he learned about plants with the help of some very kind bosses. He also often helped feral cats, and loved his own kitty (“Fraidy”) dearly.
Conor had a curious mind–he loved watching the Discovery Channel, and PBS Nature. He always wanted to see news magazines, question anyone’s political views, and would talk about curious phenomena found in space.
It’s not a secret to anyone who knew him, that Conor struggled with addiction. His lifelong battle with this demon made the moments he was in recovery especially precious. Seeing him clear eyed and able to converse with a hope for the future was something we treasured, though it never lasted long enough.
Conor was deeply, deeply loved and will be remembered by his family as a gentle and kind person who made our lives richer just by being alive and who will be missed so very much by us all.
All services will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Limen House in Conor’s name would be appreciated.
