Edmond Genealogical Society to have Burke as speaker

Are Oklahomans special? Yes we are! At the Edmond Genealogical Society’s meeting, Monday, Feb. 20, find out just how special as speaker, Bob Burke, delves into the uniqueness of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma story is not about places and events, but is about its people.

Burke has written more historical non-fiction books (140) than anyone else in history. All of his books are about Oklahoma’s incredible history, with four books having won the Oklahoma Book Award and three have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Born in Broken Bow, OK, Mr. Burke graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma, and a law degree from Oklahoma City University.

Burke’s community service is extensive. He has served on the governing boards of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Historical Society, Native American Cultural Center, Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence (founding member), the Jim Thorpe Association (founding member), Harold Hamm Diabetes Center and several others.,

In 2004, he received the Governor’s Art Award for Excellence in the Arts in Oklahoma. In 2006, he was named a Distinguished Alumnus at Oklahoma City University and the University of Oklahoma, and was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Oklahoma Center for the Book and the Regents’ Award at the University of Oklahoma. In 2011, he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Oklahoma

City University. He is a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame, and the National College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers.

In 2019, Burke served as Special Master in the nation’s first trial of a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, State of Oklahoma v. Johnson and Johnson. He lives with his wife, Chimene, in Oklahoma City where he practices law and writes books… both fulltime. He also spends substantial time with his six children and ten grandchildren.

Edmond Genealogical Society meetings are free and open to the public. Programs start at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are held the third Monday of the month at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 15700 N. Penn, Oklahoma City. Enter through the doors on the south side of the building. The church offers plenty of parking and is fully handicap accessible. For more information on EGS, go to: www.edmondgensoc.org, or visit us on Facebook at Edmond Genealogical Society. If any changes are made to this event, we will post the information on our Facebook page and website.

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