Cementerio de Holy Cross
Burke died from cancer on May 31, 1980, in Santa Monica, California, aged 66. He was survived by his wife Dorothy Gillis Burke and his four children, Gaylord, Peter and twins Jerry and Tom Burke. He had one sister, Rhoda Burke Andrews, mother of "Punch" Andrews, Bob Seger's longtime manager. His interment was at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City.