Della Irene Wright Burke, 90, of Front Royal died December 29, 2022 at Hidden Springs Senior Living in Bentonville, Virginia.

Mrs. Burke was born June 29, 1932 in Staunton, daughter of Hazile Algoe Wright and Mary Olin Bible Wright.  She was married to the late Cecil E. Burke.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Valley Bible Church, 578 Double Church Road, Stephens City, Virginia, with a reception to follow.  The service will be conducted by Pastor Calvin Lowder.  Burial will take place at 2:00 p.m. at Bennett’s Chapel Cemetery, 839 Rivermont Drive, Front Royal.  The family will receive friends an hour prior to the service.

Della Irene was a 1950 graduate of Warren County High School. While in her junior and senior years she was a member of a five person team of the American Junior Bowling Conference.  In her senior year her team bowled against 7000 nationwide teams and came in 3rd place.  Early in her working life she was employed by Hotel Royal.  She studied business at Madison College in Harrisonburg.

On December 28, 1952 she married Cecil E. Burke at the Front Royal United Methodist Church.  While her husband was serving in Korea in the U.S. Air Force, she worked for the local telephone company.  She was a member of the Rivermont Extension Homemakers and a 4-H leader.  She was a substitute teacher and adult education teacher for the Warren County School System teaching typing, sewing, and knitting.  With her husband, she raised mink, sheep, and cattle.  She owned Della Irene’s House of Furniture.  She was a member of the Christian Women’s Club and led Bible studies.  She worked for FEMA.  She was a Life Master in the American Contract Bridge League.

She was a member of Grace Bible Fellowship Church in Clearbrook, Virginia and then Valley Bible Church.

Surviving are her daughters Sharon B. Maddox (Arthur) of Front Royal, Leah B. Lowe (Dave) of Littleton, Colorado; five grandchildren A. Kyle Maddox (Sarah) of Front Royal, Mary E. Maddox (Mitchell) of Front Royal, Anna B. Lowe of Raleigh, North Carolina, Haley B. Lowe of Kansas City, Kansas, 1st Lt. Zachary B. Lowe, U.S. Army of Ft. Sill, Oklahoma; great-grandchildren Simon Maddox, Marcellus and Penelope Mathewson of Front Royal; nieces and nephews Ruth C. Clatterbuck and Susan C. Mahoney both of Front Royal, Rosemary Davner (Tom) of Winchester, John Thomas Cash, CWO5 USMC (Ret) (Valerie) of Havelock, North Carolina, William D. Cash, Dr. Robert L. Burke of Houston, Texas, William L. Burke (Robin) of Russell Springs, Kentucky and many great nieces and nephews and great great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her sister Nina Mae Cash; a brother Kyle Edgar Wright; a niece Christine Cash; and two great nieces Jennifer Dodson and Wendy Dodson.

Pallbearers will be Rickey Doffermire, James Gowdy, Timothy Gowdy, Daniel Pidgeon, Richard Kinsey, and Joe Athey.

Memorial contributions may be made to Valley Bible Church, 578 Double Church Road, Stephens City, VA 22655.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt appreciation to Hidden Springs Senior Living and Blue Ridge Hospice.