Hortense Hyacinth Burke (nee Guthrie), 83, of Los Altos Hills, California passed away on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica on September 29, 1942 to Astley Guthrie & Lurline Graham, Hortense (nicknamed June) was the eldest of four girls. She is survived by her sisters: Dahlia (aka Greta) and Marjorie (aka Dimples). Her sister Beverly (aka Pam) is deceased.

Described by her friends and family as a “force of nature”, Hortense was a woman of many talents. She sang in the church choir as a young woman, performed spoken word, and could be seen about Kingston driving her red, convertible Austin-Healey Sprite. 

Hortense married Dr. Basil Anthony Burke on October 29, 1970. Her death came one day shy of their 55th anniversary. Hortense and Basil have five children: Stephen, Oliver, Louis, Nadine, and Bradley. They moved to Palo Alto in the early 1980s and then to Los Alto Hills, where they resided until her passing.

Hortense earned her nursing credential in Jamaica, worked in British Columbia, Canada and was subsequently credentialed in California. She worked as a private nurse for many years until her retirement. 

Hortense loved real estate, investing, and fashion. She and Basil traveled the world with their five children visiting countries in Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, and South America as well as Mexico and Canada . Hortense was a proud and loving mother and wife, who will be missed by her husband, children, grandchildren and many friends.

A memorial service is planned for friends and family at St Nicholas Catholic Church in Los Altos on November 18, 2025. 

A scholarship for students at the University of the West Indies has been established in Hortense & Basil's honor. If you wish to contribute, donations may be made at https://www.afuwi.org with a note in the special instructions that the donation is for "The Hortense H. & Basil A. Burke Scholarship."