Nicholas Burke was born at Stamford on Saturday, February 6, 1993. He was the son of Marcus Bruce Burke and Lenka Pichlíková-Burke and the brother of Marcus Karel Francis Burke. Nick was confirmed at Saint John’s Lutheran Church, Stamford, volunteered at the Stamford Food Bank, and was a summer counselor at the Seton Boy Scout Camp in Greenwich. He graduated in 2011 from Stamford High School, where he was a standout defenseman on the lacrosse team. Nick attended Emmanuel College from 2011, graduating in 2015 with a major in History and a minor in business. (He said that although he intended to pursue a business career, he wanted a liberal arts education.) At Emmanuel, Nick met a group of friends who would continue to be his companions, and often, his roommates, after graduation.
The experience of renting apartments to live off-campus for three of his four years at Emmanuel suggested a career in real estate. After a string of bad experiences with landlords, he told his father that he could do better, taking care of his clients. The summer between his junior and senior years, Nick attended a real estate program at UMass Boston, passing both his general New England and Massachusetts real estate license examinations.
He began working at Boardwalk Properties on Harvard Ave. in Allston his senior year in college, fall 2014, and continued to work there until his death. Guided by the owners and senior managers, Nick became a trusted and enthusiastic employee. A recent review posted online on Yelp.com says, “We walked in and were greeted by this bubbly, happy, enthusiastic and professional young man by the name of Nick Burke.” Another adds, “Nick puts all the effort he can in. He treats all of his clients like family and works very hard to ensure that you get the best property possible. ... I have been constantly treated in an incredibly professional manner.”
At the time of his death at his apartment in Brighton on August 22, 2020, Nick was Leasing Manager for Boardwalk and the person responsible for training sessions. In addition to moving scores of tenant groups into apartments each year, Nick was also selling real estate and managing properties. His co-workers admired and continue to be inspired by him. Nick also supported many of his Emmanuel College fellow alumin, other friends, and their families in emotional, organizational, and social terms, as well as with repeated financial support. He made the world better for many people, and he will be missed.
The following poem was printed on his remembrance card:
Promise to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
― Christian D. Larson
All gifts made via this form will support the Nicholas Andrew Bernard Burke '15 Scholarship Fund.