Thursday, April 10, 2008

Community mourning loss of Sykesville, Finksburg teens

Viewings scheduled for today and funeral for Friday

E-mail this article \ Print this article

Bill Ryan⁄The Gazette
Flowers left at the crash site where Liberty High sophomore Emily Burke, 15, was killed on Louisville Road Saturday.
Friends and family of a Liberty High School sophomore who died in a weekend single-car crash will have a chance today and Friday to say goodbye.

Emily M. Burke, 15, of Sykesville and Rudolfo Calderon, 14, of Finksburg died in the crash that occurred around 11:30 p.m. Saturday in the 4300 block of Louisville Road, Louisville.

Emily’s brother, Paul E. Burke, 17, and her friend Alison Hird, 15, of Sykesville were flown to University of Maryland Shock Trauma.

Paul was released from the hospital Sunday, said Greg Shipley, a Maryland State Police spokesman. Alison was released Monday, and is recovering from a fractured pelvis, according to a letter sent out by Liberty High School Principal Dwayne Piper.

Emily and Paul’s father, Paul A. Burke, declined to speak.

Final viewings for Emily will be from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. today at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 915 Liberty Road, Eldersburg. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the church.

A viewing for Rudolfo will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Joseph’s church.

The crash occurred as Paul drove his sister and their friends home in a 2002 Chevrolet Venture minivan. For unknown reasons, he lost control while heading north on Louisville Road, crossed the center and struck a tree on the opposite side of the road, according to Maryland State Police.

Police believe Paul may have fallen asleep, but Shipley said he could not discuss why police believe that. There was no immediate indication of alcohol or drug use, and police are not sure if speed played a role, he added.

The investigation could take weeks to complete; no charges are pending, he added.

Alison, Emily and Paul were wearing seatbelts, but police are not sure if Rudolfo wore one.

Friends of the Burkes are leaving memorials and words of comforts to cope with the loss.

The school’s lobby and hallways were decorated Monday with farewell posters from friends, adorned with drawings of Emily’s favorite activities, softball, soccer and music, along with the No. 1 she wore as a starting softball pitcher.

‘‘You were one of my best friends,” Christy Shipley’s poster reads. ‘‘I never thought anything would happen. But you’re always going to be in my heart. I love and miss you.”

Christy and Emily were softball teammates.

The softball team was not alone in showing support for Emily. All Liberty sports teams are wearing black armbands at events this week in memory of the fallen Lion.

The flag at the stadium flew at half-mast where Athletic Director Ed DeVincent spoke Tuesday and held a moment of silence for Emily before the national anthem.

On Louisville Road, the only noticeable sign of the crash is tire marks in the grass leading to the tree that the van hit. Visitors laid flowers and mementos at the tree as a roadside memorial, with a note reading ‘‘Emily, The Lions’ Pride.”

Piper said Monday that many students and staff members were distraught as they filed into school.

‘‘The students walked in the building [Monday] morning, and there was an eerie silence for an hour and a half,” he said.

More than 100 students spoke with crisis team members and counselors the school provided to help students cope with the loss, Piper said, adding some teachers are also having difficulty coping.

Others are offering words of comfort for the family.

Friends of Paul A. Burke, Emily’s father and an EMS captain with the Baltimore County Fire Department, are leaving words of support on TheWatchDesk.com, a message board for emergency service workers.

‘‘My entire family know[s] of the respect and admiration that I as well as the rest of my co-workers have for you, and we were crushed to hear of your loss,” wrote Brian Neville. ‘‘As you said, you have to remember the good times.”

Some on the online forum are offering to help form a ‘‘peace line” to protect the family from Westboro Baptist Church protesters, who are expected to picket the funeral.

The Topeka, Kan.-based church led by the Rev. Fred W. Phelps Sr. protested the March 10, 2006, funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder of Westminster.

The organization protests at funerals for military personnel, gay and Jewish people, and teenagers who died in car accidents in states that have filed lawsuits against Westboro and its members, according to its Web site.

The church is targeting Emily and Rudolfo’s funerals because ‘‘God hates Maryland,” according to the organization’s press release on its Web site.

Police will work with the church and families to provide safety at Friday’s funeral, Shipley said. ‘‘We are aware of the statements made by the church.”

Staff Writer Darren Gendron contributed to this report.

To contribute

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Community Foundation of Carroll County, P.O. Box 170, Westminster, MD 21158.

 Top Jobs

 Search Directories

Search all directories

Resources

 Search Directories

Search all directories
or pick a category below to search now

Categories