Mom was the 9th of 10 children, born to Joseph and Evelina Laporte in Cranston, RI during the depression era. After losing her mother at a very young age she spent a number of years at St Joseph's orphanage in Lewiston, Maine. As a young woman she lived with various older siblings before moving to California to live with her oldest brother Raymond. There she met Donald Burke, a cousin of her sister-in-law, who was also from Providence. They married soon after and moved back to R.I. Where she raised three children. Her love of nature, reading, birds and cats have been passed on to them and her grandchildren. She and Dad visited Bermuda three times, loving its beauty and british culture. They also loved anything to do with Cajun culture and visited Louisiana many times learning about the music, dancing, history and cooking. Her friendship with the members of Magnolia, a local cajun band was strong and meaningful, even after her stroke. She had her physical therapist help her learn to dance again playing Magnolia's music as part of that therapy. They even played for her funeral, a rare and uplifting tribute that was a celebration of her life and joi de vie.
Mom was the 9th of 10 children, born to Joseph and Evelina Laporte in Cranston, RI during the depression era. After losing her mother at a very young age she spent a number of years at St Joseph's orphanage in Lewiston, Maine. As a young woman she lived with various older siblings before moving to California to live with her oldest brother Raymond. There she met Donald Burke, a cousin of her sister-in-law, who was also from Providence. They married soon after and moved back to R.I. Where she raised three children. Her love of nature, reading, birds and cats have been passed on to them and her grandchildren. She and Dad visited Bermuda three times, loving its beauty and british culture. They also loved anything to do with Cajun culture and visited Louisiana many times learning about the music, dancing, history and cooking. Her friendship with the members of Magnolia, a local cajun band was strong and meaningful, even after her stroke. She had her physical therapist help her learn to dance again playing Magnolia's music as part of that therapy. They even played for her funeral, a rare and uplifting tribute that was a celebration of her life and joi de vie.
