Aurelia Burke

Born September 26, 1951, Aurelia Burke was seventy-four years young when she found peace on January 24, 2026, in the presence of her family. A native from New Jersey she met her soul mate Floyd Burke of Hope, Arkansas in 1970, at the naval base dance hall in Lakehurst, NJ where he was stationed. Their love story is a beautiful one of fifty-three years of marriage and adventure. Aurelia is survived by her husband, daughters Bonnie Pruitt, Katie Devany, and Lori Burke, son-in laws Dennis Pruitt and Sean Devany, and four grandchildren Logan, Sean Patrick, Owen, and Olivia Jane.

Aurelia believed in the power of education and put herself through college to become the first in her family to receive a college degree from Caldwell University. Upon graduation she dedicated her life to education and religious service and spent over thirty years shaping the minds of children academically and spiritually. She taught middle school and junior high English, Spanish, French, Science, as well as First Grade when living in Mississippi and Hawaii, and then founded in 1992 Rainbow Land Preschool in Hope, Arkansas when she and Floyd moved there upon his retirement from the Navy.

Aurelia was an active member of Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Church where she served as a teacher helping young Catholics receive the sacred sacrament of Communion for the first time. She believed in the healing power of God, and the importance of living the commandments through acts of service and showing compassion to everyone regardless of their faith or circumstance.

Aurelia loved fiercely her faith and family and strived to always be an instrument of God through ministry and living the “Golden Rule” of Jesus — to do to others as you would have them do to you. She loved playing Bingo, planning the perfect dinner party, dancing, and looked her finest in the colors red.

Mass of Christian burial will take place on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 10:00 A.M. at Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Church in Hope, Arkansas.

Burial will follow at Holly Grove Cemetery.

A rosary will be held on Wednesday, January 28, 2025, at 5:30 P.M. at Herndon- Fuqua Funeral Home- Hope.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 28, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Herndon- Fuqua Funeral Home- Hope.