Loretta E. Burke Skelley

Loretta E. (Burke) Skelley, 102, of St. Joseph, MI, died on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at Pine Ridge in Stevensville.  A Celebration of Life Service will be held 11:00 A.M., Friday, May 11, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 609 Court St., St. Joseph with Pastor Michael Roth officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. Friends may visit from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., Thursday, May 10, 2018 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Joseph. Those wishing to share a memory of Loretta online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com  Loretta was born March 17, 1916 in Chicago, IL the youngest child of Frederick & Ella (Kuschel) Reddel. When she was 4, her family moved to Saint Joseph, where she spent the rest of her life. She graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1934. She then met R. Robert Burke at Tilly’s Drug Store in St. Joseph, and they were married on April 17, 1937 in the parsonage of Trinity Lutheran Church. He pre-deceased her on July 1, 1968. On February 19, 1984 she married William Skelley and he pre-deceased her on September 4, 2001. For 20 years she was employed by Heath Company.  Loretta was a life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Joseph and had been active in the Ladies Aid and Parent Teacher League. She enjoyed being in the kitchen, cooking and baking. She also enjoyed sewing, knitting, and making Barbie doll clothes.  Loretta is survived by her children Rev. Robert (Margaret) Burke of Oak Park, IL; Jeanine Roth of Prior Lake, MN; Dr. Jonathan (Marilyn Stalder) Burke of Pasadena, CA; and Heather (Rev. James) Fogle of Livonia, MI; grandchildren Christopher Roth, Jennifer (Bryan) Ulbrich; Rev. Suzanne (Robert Hybben) Burke; and Allison (Deno) Andrews; and by four great grandchildren: Ella and Aaron Ulbrich and Sophia and James Andrews; and step-daughters Carol Lockman and Miriam Maurer.  She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands R. Robert Burke and William Skelley; siblings Anna, Frederick, and Arno; son-in-law David Roth and step-daughter Janet Davis.