Edmund “Ed” R. Bourke, Jr., 79, of Greenwood Lake, N.Y. — by way of Brooklyn, a memorable stint in Paris and Virginia — passed away peacefully on Dec. 25, 2025, surrounded by the family that was his greatest pride and joy.
Born in Brooklyn on St. Patrick’s Day in 1946 to the late Barbara (nee Nestlen) and Edmund R. Bourke, Sr. Ed served in the U.S. Navy, as a linguist in Rota, Spain, sparking a lifelong passion for exploring the world and never passing up an adventure.
Ed was the ultimate family man, and he was proud of nothing more than his five kids and their families. A retired federal agent for U.S. Customs, Ed’s career was the highlight of his life. He was deeply passionate not only about the work he did, but the people he met along the way. He was never happier than when he was “holding court” at the head of a dinner table. With a glass of wine in hand and a captive audience before him, he would regale friends and family with tales of working cases around the world.
Ed was predeceased by his first wife Kathryn “Kitty” Bourke whom he spent 50 years building a life, family, and a home and they shared so many life- changing adventures, including moving all their kids to Paris in 1991.
In recent years, Ed was fortunate to find a wonderful companion and wife in Anita. Together, they wrote a beautiful final chapter, continuing the travels that Ed loved so dearly and enjoying the simple pleasures of a large extended family. His final years were filled with travel, dancing, music, boat rides, friends, great food, and wine and just the best company he could ask for.
He is survived by his wife Anita Santopietro-Bourke (nee Watson); four daughters Kristen Garman and her husband Greg of Annandale, Va., Allison Feasel and her husband James of West Olive, Mich., Deirdre Bourke of Greenwood Lake, N.Y., Sarah O’Connell and her husband Sean of Monroe, N.Y.; his son Eamonn Bourke and his wife Emily of Alexandria, Va.; step daughters Gina Reuter and her husband Mark of Jefferson, N.J. and Lisa Hansen and her husband Jerry of Monroe, N.Y.; his step son Anthony Santopietro and his wife Kristen of Monroe, N.Y.; and his brother Kevin Bourke of Hopatcong, N.J., nine grandchildren: Lilly Bourke, Daniel Garman, Scott Garman, Colin Feasel, Liam Bourke, Alexis Feasel, Emma Feasel, Seamus O’Connell and Sloane O’Connell. He was predeceased by his sister Valerie Hewson.
Visitation will be Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick, NY. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Holy Rosary Church, 41 Windermere Ave., Greenwood Lake, N.Y. Interment will follow at Orange County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Craigville Road, Goshen, N.Y.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Ed’s memory to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, N.Y. 10306 or www.t2t.org.
Arrangements were made by Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick, N.Y. To send an online condolence, log onto www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.