Carolyn Burke

Carolyn Teresa (Mayo) Burke, 80, passed away unexpectedly on November 25, 2021 after a brief battle with Covid-19.

Carolyn was born in Brooklyn, NY, grew up on Long Island and attended Stony Brook University, graduating in 1962.  She met her husband Tom at the Nassau Health Department where they both worked and were married on August 28, 1965.  She moved with him across the country to Houston, TX and Durham, NC before settling in Aurora, CO to raise their family.  She has called Colorado home for almost 50 years.

Carolyn worked for the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center as a Professional Research Assistant for many years and also volunteered in the gift shop at University Hospital where she made many friends.  She started her own graphic art business and prepared elaborate presentations for the faculty of the school of medicine.  She learned to fly planes and held a pilot’s license.  She also held an amateur radio license.  Carolyn was active in many clubs and organizations.   She was a member of the Embroiderers Guild for many years, often using her graphic art experience to prepare their newsletters.  She was an avid needleworker, fisherwoman, and self-proclaimed computer geek.  Her Japanese embroidery work was extensive and beautiful.  Carolyn was able to travel to many places near and far, with Tom, during her life. Some of the places she visited included France, Italy, Australia, Bora Bora, Mexico, China, Russia, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Greece, and closer to home she loved to celebrate anniversaries in and around Marble, CO.  Disney World and the beach held a special place in her heart, and she loved sharing those places with her children and grandchildren.  She had many roles in her life, daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend but one of her most cherished roles was that of grandma.  She was known to her 6 grandchildren as grandma, grammies, or memaw.    She spent the last 2 decades of her life attending the many sporting, school, and special events that her grandchildren were a part of.  She loved hosting holiday meals and the Thanksgiving meal was her specialty.  She enjoyed baking way too many cookies during the Christmas season and was always looking for recruits to help her bake.  Carolyn will be missed terribly and is greatly loved.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents Stephen and Anna (Pane) Mayo.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Thomas, her daughters Suzanne Audino (Shawn), Cathy Burke Ondrak and six grandchildren Tony Audino, Alexa Schaffer (John), Abby Audino, Logan Ondrak, Isabelle Ondrak and Emma Ondrak, her brother Stephen Mayo of Florida, sister-in-law Nancy Carpentiere of New Hampshire and 6 nieces and nephews.

A Liturgy of the Word service to honor Carolyn's life will take place on Friday, June 10th 2022 at 1pm at Horan and McConaty Family Chapel 5303 East County Line Road Centennial, Colorado 80122. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Denver Zoo at https://denverzoo.org/support/donate/ or the Denver Museum of Nature and Science at http://www.dmns.org/support/give-to-the-museum/