John V. “Jackie” Burke, a lifelong resident of Winthrop, died at Kaplan Hospice in Danvers on October 9, 2014. He was 55 years of age and had been battling throat cancer. Jackie, known to his friends as “Wacka,” was the devoted father of Patrick Burke of South Boston. He was the youngest of six children of the late Peter J. and Margaret M. (Brown) Burke. Jack is survived by son Patrick and by his siblings: his brothers, Peter Burke Jr. and James Burke of Winthrop and Thomas Burke of West Roxbury; and his sisters, Dr. Margaret Lee of Wilmette, IL, and Mary Kinnear of Atkinson, NH. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews. Jackie was an outstanding youth and high school hockey player in Winthrop. He played right wing on Winthrop High’s “Irish Line” alongside Joe and Bob McDonald. The trio won the East Coast Aero Tech Award for 1975-76 as the highest scoring Division One line in Eastern Massachusetts. Jackie and his line mates played critical roles in the Vikings’ march to the State Championship in 1976. Jack scored the winning goal in the team’s 4-3 triple overtime win against Norwood in the Eastern Mass. semifinals at Boston Garden. He also scored the winning goal in the Vikings’ 4-2 triumph over Braintree in the tournament’s championship game. Jack was inducted into the Winthrop High School Sports Hall of Fame on October 21, 2006. After graduating from Winthrop High in 1977, he prepped for a year at the Hill School in Pottstown, PA. He subsequently enrolled at Harvard University, was a member of the varsity hockey squad, and earned his bachelor degree. He was also a member of the Winthrop Lodge of Elks #1078. Funeral from the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home 210 Winthrop St. WINTHROP, on Thurs, October 16, at 10:30am. A Funeral Mass will be held in St. John the Evangelist Church-Winthrop at 11:30am. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home on Weds, Oct. 15 from 4-8pm. His family members requested that in lieu of flowers, donations in his name be made to the Viking Pride Foundation, P.O. Box 37, Winthrop, MA, 02152. For guestbook, please visit www.mauricekirbyfh.com.