John H. "Trigger" Burke Jr., age 72, passed away surrounded by his family in Salem on July 24, 2018 after a long illness.  Trigger was the only (and therefore favorite) son of John and Rita (Pelletier) Burke of Salem.

Born and raised in Salem, he grew up in the Castle Hill area.  He attended Saint Anne's School in Salem, and due to his superior leadership skills, had his own desk in Mother Superior's office.  He was a drummer in the Musketeer's Drum and Bugle Corps and continued to enjoy drum corps competitions for years.  He proudly served as a Signalman 3 ^rd Class in the United States Navy for 4 years, from 1964 to 1968.

Trigger was a Salem firefighter for 39 years and loved going to work.  He was a lifetime member of the Boston Sparks Association, going out "sparking" many nights with his friends, especially the late Billy Haggerty.  He served on the Retirement Board of Salem for numerous years.  Trigger found great fulfillment in working for the city that he loved, using his voice to help others in his community.

A lover of music and history, Trigger loved visiting war museums and amusement parks with his family.  Due to a fear of flying, all trips were completed by car or train.  Top of the list was visiting Disney World on several occasions with his wife and children.  Trigger was a supportive and loving father, spending many weekends at skateboarding contests and cheerleading competitions.

Trigger is survived by his wife of nearly 46 years, Phyllis (Horrigan), his son John and his wife Brooke of Salem, and his daughter Joann and her husband Matthew Condon of Reading.  He was the beloved Grampy to James and Bridget Condon, and Tyler and Lucas Burke.  He is also survived by his four sisters; Joan and her husband Brian Shea of Peabody, Susan and her husband John LeDuc of Dalton, Patricia Burke and Michael Cochran of Ipswich, and Kathleen Burke of Salem.  In addition to his immediate family, he is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews, friends, and his firefighter brothers and sisters.

ARRANGEMENTS: Visiting hours will take place on Sunday July 29, 2018 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Murphy Funeral Home, located at 85 Federal St. Salem. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday July 30, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. at St. Anne's Church, located at 290 Jefferson Ave, Salem, MA 01970 with burial following at Greenlawn Cemetery located at 57 Orne St, Salem, MA 01970

For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to Salem Firefighters Relief Fund.