Dr. Larry T. Bourke, Col., USA (Ret)
November 16, 1941 – October 15, 2013
Dr. Larry Tomas Bourke, Col., USA (Ret.), 71, went to be with the Lord on October 15, 2013. Larry was born on November 16, 1941 in Inglewood, California to Leonard and Esther (Spellecy) Bourke, the eldest of two brothers. He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and attended Creighton Prep High School. He went on to receive his bachelor’s and medical degrees from Creighton University.
During the Vietnam War, Larry became a flight surgeon for the US Air Force while stationed in Michigan, and later received a one year assignment in Saudi Arabia as the area’s only military physician. Afterward, Larry moved to Colorado to complete his anesthesia residency at the University of Colorado. During his time there, he was involved in the first liver transplant in the country. While in Denver, he met his future wife, Constance (Connie) Lee Crissey.
Larry’s forty year medical career included twenty years in private practice and twenty years with the military. Larry was a compassionate and skilled physician who was highly respected by his peers. He was Chief of Anesthesia at Tripler Army Medical Center, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, and at Ft. Carson’s Evans Army Community Hospital. He was particularly honored to be Chief of Surgery at Eisenhower Regional Medical Center.
In 2003, as part of a Ft. Carson CASH unit, he was briefly deployed to Kuwait during the Second Gulf War and was notably the oldest active duty military physician deployed in that theater.
In his private time, Larry enjoyed collecting guns, playing golf, and traveling the world with Connie. He enjoyed woodworking and picture framing, and was an avid student of military history. Larry was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church and a member of the Knights of Columbus, where he attained the level of Fourth Degree. He was a member of the Phi Rho Sigma Medical Society, the American Legion, the NRA, the Heritage Foundation, and the DAV.
Larry is survived by his wife, Connie; brother John Bourke of Omaha, NE; son Shawn Bourke of Louisville, CO; daughter Kelly (Bourke) Bevilacqua and son-in-law John Bevilacqua of Boulder, CO; and grandson Brian Bevilacqua.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 10am on Friday, October 25th at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 22 West Kiowa Street, Colorado Springs. Inurnment with military honors to follow at the church with a reception immediately afterward.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests masses in his name at St. Joseph’s Parish, 1830 South Corona Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80905. (719) 632-9903