Mary C. Karpers-Burke

Mary Constance Karpers-Burke, 82, passed away on November 1, 2025, in Bloomington, Illinois. Mary was born on December 21, 1942, in Baltimore, Maryland, to the late Bernard S. and Frances C. Karpers, Sr. She was the fourth of six children and the oldest girl after three brothers. Mary married on May 26, 1963, and had two children. In her career she worked for the University of Maryland hospital and then moved with a group that became Maryland Medical Research (MMRI) where she coordinated clinical trials including the two international studies that researched aspirin for heart attacks. Later Mary became the executive director for the Society for Clinical Trials, a professional society of clinical researchers, until her retirement in 2009.

As a devout Catholic, Mary gave her time to her parishes and surrounding community. She felt privileged to work on the committee for Pope John Paul II’s visit to Baltimore in October 1995. At the same time, she also worked with Fr. Michael Roach as a volunteer secretary for St. Peter the Apostle Church on S. Poppleton Street in Southwest Baltimore until it was closed by the Archdiocese of Baltimore in January 2008. Her work with St. Peter’s included coordinating a monthly food bank, holiday distributions of food and gifts, and work with at-risk youth. Mary moved to St. Benedict Parish on Wilkens Avenue where her coordinating skills were put to work with Fr. Paschal Morlino. She volunteered in the parish office and revitalized Benedict’s Pantry, a monthly food bank that expanded to provide school supplies for area children and holiday distributions of food and gifts to low-income families within the parish boundaries.

During these years Mary discovered her love of travel and experiencing different cultures by traveling to Western Europe and Russia multiple times and other Eastern countries of Turkey, Czech Republic and Isreal. She enjoyed traveling with family and friends and making new friends along the way.

Mary grew up in the neighborhoods of Pig Town and Union Square. She spent most of her life living on the 1500 block of W. Lombard Street, first at 1501 with her parents and siblings and later at 1523 where she raised her own family. Her time on Union Square included working with the Union Square Association and representing the neighborhood during the 1970s at the Baltimore City Fairs. After 48 years, Mary sold her home in 2017 and began downsizing. In 2021 she moved to Normal, Illinois, to be closer to her daughter and daughter-in-law with whom she was living when she passed away.

Mary is survived by her children Sean (Julie Ann) Burke of Millsboro, Delaware, and Bridgid (Natalie Shaheen) Burke of Towanda, Illinois, three grandsons Timothy (Gabriella), Andrew, and David, her older brother Dr. Bernard S. Karpers, Jr., younger sister Elizabeth F. (nee Karpers) Swancar, and multiple nieces and nephews, and grandnieces and nephews from both the Karpers and Burke families. She was predeceased by her parents Bernard S. and Frances C. (nee LaPlanche) Karpers, Sr., brothers Michael F. Karpers and Paul A. Karpers, Sr., and sister Sandra Jean Karpers.

A memorial visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 3 from 2 to 6 PM at Ambrose Funeral Home 1328 Sulphur Spring Road, Arbutus, MD 21227. The funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, December 4 at 10 AM at St. Benedict Church, 2612 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21223, followed by interment of ashes at New Cathedral Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in memory of Mary C. Burke to: Covenant House, www.covenanthouse.org, or Midwest Food Bank, www.midwestfoodbank.org