Richard "Burke" Eastep

Burke was born November 16, 1934, in the Shenendoah Valley of Virginia. He was the oldest son of the late Elmer and Celesta (Windle) Estep. His early years were spent in Front Royal, Virginia, but he moved to Greenbelt, Maryland when his father got a job working for the Department of Agriculture in nearby, Beltsville, Maryland. As a young man, while attending Bladensburg High School, he worked on the school newspaper as its editor and teletype operator. In his off-school hours, Burke worked at the local bowling alley, setting pins. It was at the bowling alley, where Burke became friends with Tony Salvan, who introduced Burke to his sister, Peggy and they became high school sweethearts. Burke was popular with his classmates and was voted “King” of the class of 1955 at his Senior Prom. Burke and Peggy were married shortly thereafter and had 5 children — four boys and a girl and remained together until 1968. During that period, Burke worked as a Produce Manager for Safeway grocery stores until he got a job working in the moving and storage business that was headquartered in a Capitol Hill neighborhood, where he catered to embassies and other government agencies. In October of 1972, Burke met and married Maggie Miller and moved to Annandale, Virginia. In Annandale, Burke began his life-long career as a commercial truck driver, first for Roadway Trucking. When opportunities for transporting tobacco became lucrative, Burke and Maggie moved to Winston Salem (Kernersville), North Carolina, where Burke worked for Epes Transportation for a time before he decided to become an independent contract driver. Burke loved “the solitude of the road” as an independent trucker, and he embraced the radio language of CB Radio. His call “handle” was “the Perculator”. After Maggie passed away, during a regular visit to her grave, Burke met Ruth Boles—who was also visiting her late husband’s grave. Burke and Ruth became fast friends, then sweethearts and after a better part of a year, he moved to King, NC where they became husband and wife — and where he and Ruth lived out their retirement years. Burke enjoyed his odd collection of cars, and over the years, owned a Dune Buggy, Karmen Ghia, Ford Ranchero, a Chevelle SS 396 — and the always memorable, 1952 Chevy pick-up truck he named “Nelly-Belle”. He loved Bluegrass music and listening to his favorite AM radio station WPAQ, Mount Airy. He loved gardening, growing vegetables and tending to his hybrid roses, which were his pride and joy. Burke was an active and devoted member of Stoney Ridge Baptist Church. He sang in the choir, was an usher, participated in outreach and on occasion you would find him passing out candy after services to all the kids. Burke loved his family and friends dearly and loved attending the annual “Chicken Stew” at Ed Hookers’ and “Pig Roasts” at Ken & Ana’s where he could gather and catch up with everyone. Burke is predeceased by parents Elmer and Celesta, brothers Donnie and Bill and wives Peggy and Maggie. He is survived by wife Ruth Boles Eastep, children: Ken (Ana), Kurt, John (Lynne), Michael (Sharon), Julie May (Paul); stepchildren, Dan Cabeen (Lynn) and Debbie Harrison; eleven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Wednesday June 12, 2024, at Stoney Ridge Baptist Church with Rev. Jim Cox officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 pm on Tuesday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Stoney Ridge Baptist Church.