Rita Burke

CANFIELD ? A prayer service will be held on Tuesday at 9:15 a.m. at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Home, Canfield Chapel and a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Michael Catholic Church in Canfield for Mrs. Rita Blaylock Burke, 87, who died Thursday morning at Austinwoods Nursing Home.

Rita was born July 1, 1923, in Aliquippa, Pa., a daughter of Jeremiah and Sara Miller Sheehan and moved to this area as a child.

She had owned Rita Blaylock Burke Reality, had worked for many local reality companies and had worked as an optician for Sears and several private optometrists. Rita was a member of the church, its Garden Club, a member of the Red Hatter, the Sweet Briar Civics Club, I.H.M - PTA and the Youngstown Area Realtors Association.

She was married to Cloyce Blaylock, whom she married Sept. 1944 and who died Aug. 10, 1961. She then married Thomas Burke on April 26, 1977, and he died March 1995.

Rita leaves her daughter, Judy Robert Rodkey of Austintown; a son, Jeremiah Debra Blaylock of Canfield; five grandchildren, Kay Lou King, Theresa Colonna, Jennifer Stearsman and Josh and Erin Blaylock; and four great-grandchildren, Jason Anderson, Ella and John Major Colonna and Robert Brice Stearsman.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; her daughter, Catherine Blaylock; two sisters, Betty Sheehan and Sally Cowan; and a brother, James Sheehan.

Friends may call on Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home followed by a Cursilio prayer service at 8 p.m.

Memorial contributions mat be made to the Society of St. Paul.

Visit www.higgins-reardon.com to view this obituary and to send condolences.