Yun Fang Ma. It is, however, on a country-sized parcel that covers about 27 acres, which is remarkable in a neighborhood whose common lot size is measured in feet. Thats the only thing in the house left from the Seguines. He also discusses the donation of the Seguine Mansion to the Historic House Trust, and his vision for the ongoing maintenance of the home and property. Q: So tell me about what its been like for you to live here. Q: And you knew the style from having studied the history of design and architecture. So, Id do that. And I was always a horse person. Remember him? Would you sell me the acres in the front? Ive been to the Tenement Museum, and I love the fact that theres a woman on a loop and she discusses living in the apartment. Daller: But it was the thing with the lilacs smell. And they said, Oh my god, George, what are you Oh, and who else was that? You want to have someone living in it, you cant have an empty house. I mean, as a kid going down here crabbing, down on the beach, we used to look back at the house all the time. And hes the one that did my portrait upstairs. Burke: Greek revival. Thank you so much. Thats why I did what I did, because I figured that if anything ever happens to me, all of this, now, will have to stay as it is. Isnt that a huge house theyre building, you told me? And he died young. Loving brother of Stephen Burke of Florida, Joan Burke of Plymouth, and Timothy Burke of Plymouth. I had no idea that that was it, when I bought the house or anything. I mean, look, theyve been trying to get rid of the carriage horses in the city, for how long now? You know, everybody grew up together. Or you can do a small whatever. Because she begged me. Unlived in, they've been designated museums and have been visited by numerous tourists. Everybody smelled like that. Burke: No, who gave me that? But what she did is she sold off parcel after parcel in order for her to live here in the house because she had no income. And that painting of me, thats upstairs in my bedroomdid you ever see it? Q: So well have audio recording and a transcript for researchersand Ill remove those names that you mentioned, Linda. Or did you have to just guess and make decisions? I just repainted. So I said, Well, Bess, if youre interested in doing it, Im interested in doing it.. And then I shipped it all back home. They just couldnt handle it. Daller: Thats been acquired over the years. You couldnt tell what it was. Burke: Hawaii. And if you went around with Mario Buatta, that was like going with the President of the United States. Q: The Friends of the Seguine Mansionthe friends group. Daller: The stables. What are we gonna do here? So he said, Well, I really love doing this, George. And I said, Okay, John, thats fine. So I paid it off and bought it in cash, with the cash. The fact that the Seguine familythis was the farmhouse, their mansion was in Rossvilleand thats long gone. Q: You mentioned that the South Shore has changed in the last few years. Well. And the house was really, needed shapebut thank God it was built as well is it was built, otherwise it would have fallen down. And that was it. But I was glad that I got this. . You buy me out. And he bought me out. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. A brooch that I gave Bess? Q: I mean, I live in a small apartment, so what is it like to live in a kind of museum quality home? Bulldozed that down. And there were two windows, like this. George Burke . And these roofs had big arches, like this. People, Oh, could you help me? And especially when I came to Staten Island and I was working for Sherwin Williams, andwhat the hell, Florence? So the next day, Im up and Im outside. So whenever the big surgeons traveled, I always traveled with themtraveled all over Europe. Yes, the dining room and the kitchen was on the other two, side. Then I went looking for the big pieces. My mother and his wife never got along too well. She lived up on Lighthouse Hill. George had a wonderful career with the MBTA, starting as repairman and becoming the Superintendent of the Red Line until his retirement. Hell utilize every room of the house. Burke: Yes. A lot of the windows were broken out of it. So I figured, hmm! So I went down in Rossville and I bought a beautiful, big old, rundown place and restored it completely. Well, it doesnt matter, her name. But I forgot what the other two things were. Id love that old house. I said, But Bess, I said your houseI dont know about saving it. George was an engaged conversationalist and even better listener. In this interview, Burke talks about working with designer Mario Buatta, along with the House of Scalamadr, to select furniture and fabrics to decorate the home in the Victorian style. And I renovated the bar, I renovated the other side, my two sisters came to work for me, running the kitchen and the dining room. Oh, thats right. But down here, all the beautiful homes that were down here are gone. Daller: And he uses every room, he doesnt sit in one room. George W. Burke, age 63, of Hull, entered into eternal rest on October 2, 2021. But not long ago, I was talking about it. Daller: If they cant ride, why should they be here? Ticonderoga. I found him through somebody. Unbelievable. Grandchildren Maria, Victoria, Madison, Michael, Ryan, Reagan, and Mickey, and great-grandson Angelo. Burke: I used to, but I didnt I didnt keep it on everything. Then there was the main hall that went through, just like this: door, front door, back door. And I was so damn busy, I never got to go home. It feels like home, because thats what its been. Linda? All Rights Reserved, Town Departments at Work: The role of each part of your local government. Off of Hylan Boulevard? And I said, Was that a dream? And whats going on up the street here now? Browse Staten Island Advance obituaries, conduct other obituary searches, offer condolences/tributes, send flowers or create an online memorial. Thats when she said to me, George, go save my house. And I came down and looked at it. And the last time I went there, there was all houses built in it. He introduced me all the time tobecause look at look at what he was. We have a choice in having a caretaker come in also to maintain it. Obituary Tribute Wall Service Information . People didnt want it because it had such a reputation as being haunted. That came in part from the attorney. And thats what I did. Eulogies and Obituaries; Pre-Arrangement. They tore down those two nice little cottages that were there. It was terrible. So I would go to the flea markets and things. Staten Island and the South Shore is the only place where people can still move, be in a country feeling, and build what they want to build, and have a garden and have a lawn and, you know, they can be in the country and still be in the city. So every time she wants to go riding, she has to go all the way to New Jersey, ride her horse, and then come all the way back. Father Burke was assigned to Sacred Heart from 1988 to 2003. I got one or two things out of it. And he dealed in antique rugs, and regular rugs and everything. Q: So those things that you got later on, afterthey didnt come from Europe. And I went from room to room and it took me a couple of years, didnt it? I loved Alaska. A funeral service for Yun will be held Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Casey Funeral. George was a resident of Broxton, Georgia at the time of passing. And the post is still there and the staircase is still in good shapebut thats still in the house, now, down there. That was all what she had in mind! Where all the servants lived. [laughs]. Burke, who knew of the home and property from the time when he was a child, was committed to the challenge. That was the most beautiful mansion. Just landmarked. Well work it out, one way or another. And so the two of us started and we madecalled it the Old Bermuda Inn because John loved Bermuda and he was putting a lot of money in it. Q: Can you tell me about studying interior design? You got to get out. So we moved to Florida. Yes, that was all Scalamandr. She had to move them to New Jersey. Unfortunately. He was appointed judicial vicar of the Interdiocesan Appellate Tribunal for the Province of New York in 2009. Well, what are we talking about? The Greek Revival house is one of the few surviving examples of 19th Century life on Staten Island. So I went around and looked and looked and I said, You know, I could open a restaurant. And I walked around and I found a couple of nice places. Q: How did you establish a relationship with the Parks Department and the Historic House Trust? The orientals that originally were on the floor here, I put up in the bedrooms upstairs. The columns werent square wooden ones, like these, they were beautiful fluted ones with all the Corinthian leaves on the tops of them and all that stuff. And I was the assistant to the general who was the surgeon for the European Command. The whole family kind ofand the ladies got too old, and they decided they were going to move and go live inI think Georgia or Virginia, I forgot. Q: You mentioned that the South Shore has changed in the last few years. And when they werent in the house, they would go and buy them at the stores, and there was always lilacs in the house. And we cant come over here because both of them lived way out in New Jersey, and theyd come every day. Get out. So that makes sense. I restored that, and that was an old mansionan old pillar-fronted mansionlooked like the house, similar. And he was the one that took me around and showed me where to get the good fabric. Youre coming with me. So Id say Okay, Murphy, lets go! She was something, I mean. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of George W. Burke . The story about the coat that you had from Alaska? And then when I went looking for myhis name was Joinerand everybody was saying, Well, Sergeant Joiner is leaving, Sergeant Joiner is leaving. And I never thought much of it. And Luis Caizares painted that. The mansion was gorgeous! Burke: But I forgot what the other two things where. I mean, after it was finished, who cared? Messages run for up to one year and you Take a walk. I said, No, no, Im gonna save this house. He said, Oh! George Burke. Hes been maintaining it for forty-plus years. Im gonna go look. So I said, whew! But you do have Chris thats upstairs that lives in the servants quarters. (Staten Island Advance) Now: A vacant wooded lot The Tidewater Inn (formerly known as the Cole Mansion), which stood at 11. And he was stationed here, in St. George, and he would come home and wed live in the house. And so I had all that stuff in my apartment. That was a shame. Msgr. Posted Thursday, October 10, 2019 12:00 am. And I had a little house in Tottenville so I decided, well, Ill move into this big housein hereand Ill get rid of all the property that I have in Tottenville. But it doesnt work that way. I thought for sure that would never go. And where to get the good buys, and all that kind of thing. And I took that room and made it into the dining room. in memory of George W. Burke, please visit our floral store. And if theyre gonna make a museum out of it, theyre gonna have to pay somebody to greet people and take them on tours. And that was a kitchen, and that was bedrooms and a little living room, all up there. Theyd go in and theyd take the windows out and theyd use the windows, and they destroyed it. You could see with all the houses over here, its gotten very built up. And, then I gotwhod I get from the city? Daller: See, now you learned about kitchens. Daller: But thats how he [referring to the painting of Mr. Seguine] came back to the house. The walkway going to the beach, its still there, where the house was. Q: Yes, absolutely. And a lot of people kept their horses in the stables. Q: Yes. They were all womens stuff. Burke: Yes, I paid off this house. This was all field, all the way up, and she used to turn the horses loose on all the fields out there. Email or phone: Password: . Devoted father of Matthew I. Burke, Jason L. Burke, and Georgina P. Burke, all of Hull. But Ive got to bring that portrait down and put it above that fireplace and get rid of that painting thats there. Thats the only thing people could bring. And I could turn the horses loose and theyd keep all the fields cut and mowed, you know? Burke: Oh, I forgot about that. And she used to drink all the whiskey like crazy. And if you can capture and keep something that looks like this, then this is a big plus for the area. Daller: I think weve touched on everything, really. And all these houses would never here! Oh, God. I had all the walls done. george burke staten island obituary. And now the people that I sold it to, the Pistillis [James and Kathleen Pistilli], they had the whole thing researched and now its got landmark things on it and everything. In lieu of flowers, donations to honor George may be made to Tunnels to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10306. I put the post on it up under the floor where the newer posts in the staircase was upstairs, and then, when I took the jack away, it sat on the post. And it was twice the size of this house. Q: Was that here in the house? What the woman who was caretaking her, what she had to do was constantly keep lilacs next to the bed. I spent enough time breaking my back. So I made sure it was filled in with dirt the rest of the way, so I wouldnt have that water getting in the basement. Prince Edward Island. Q: And, do you keep records on, on those kinds of things? If you were at the water looking up here, you couldnt see the house. 12144 Obituaries Search Staten Island obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. Well, on theon the fireplace there, those two big candelabras, theyre Meissen. I dont know if it ever took off. The Seguine Mansion, also known as The Seguine-Burke Mansion, is located on Lemon Creek near the southern shore of Staten Island. And then, it was declared unsafe, and they come in and knocked it down. The beloved husband of Rosanna (Ialuna) Burke, he was the devoted father of Matthew I. Burke, Jason L. Burke, and Georgina P. Burke, all of Hull. If you lived in Alaska, where it was always cold, it was fine. And right outside the window right here, is a great big round, thing thats all brickgreat big round thing, big as this room, covered-overand thats where all the water from the drain pipe from the roof would go in there and fill it, and it was called a cistern, and that was connected to the kitchen downstairs. I dont know what the hell Ill do if you do that. I started with the basement. [laughs] But, itll be here. I mean, this was just a farmhouse. And that was the end of that. So its saved forever. So coming back to it was a change. [laughs]. If you want to come, behave yourselves. And then you could walk under the porch out into the garden. He had the military ship the items back to family members in New York City, a perk of military service that made moving his collection back to the States possible. And I had the money to do it, and I said, You know, let me do it.. Q: And so, what sort of vision do you have for, you know, the next the next forty years, for how the grounds are maintained and how. When they shipped me back from where I was, where the Eskimos were, they sent me back to the base, because they were shipping everybody now, backafter your time was up, you had to go back because you couldnt stay any longer than two years, and after two years, you had to come back to the States. The Seguine girls, as they were called,. The woodwork, the moldings, the parquet floors. Daller: Well, remember how much it took to paint the whole house, and how you had to paint sections of it? I went over there, and it was standing up sleeping! What the hell do you think it was? What was her name? Thats how I got to know Adriana Scalamandr and the Scalamandrs. The Old Bermuda Inn. And thats what I called out for was help. For an online guest book, please visit www.mcnamara-sparrell.com . She was a nasty old lady! But that was funny. 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