Bernard Thomas Burba, our beloved father, has passed away. We announce this with great sadness. Bernie Burba was born in Waukegan on August 16, 1932 to Felix and Margaret (Schardt). He died in Tucson, Arizona, on November 18, 2023. He was preceded by his wife Carole Draper Reppa, with whom he had raised his family and Carole Vaclavek, his parents and five siblings. Bernie is survived his five children, Peggy (Mike Hazard), Laura (Mike Hagerty), Thomas (Maggie), David(Alice), Susan Latin, twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. His extended family and friends are deeply saddened by his death.
Bernie was a natural born salesman. As a child he sold newspapers at Great Lakes Naval Base where he enlisted. He was an airship technician at Naval Air Station Weeksville, North Carolina from 1951 to 1955. He was a leader in the swimming pools and spas industry for many decades. In 1972, he and his family moved from Illinois to Tucson where he worked as a partner at Baja Industries.
Bernie loved golf, travels, Wildcat Basketball, turning turned-wood pen, and spending summers in Pinetop. The times he spent with his grandchildren and children were his most happy. They are his legacy. His sense of humor, and his loving support will be missed by all.
Donations can be made in honor of Bernie’s memory to Primavera or St. Jude, his favorite charities.
