The stables were here for years. 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. And I lived there for quite a few years. Because he lived right here, lived right here on Staten Island. Beloved husband of Rosanna (Ialuna) Burke. . And then the people that moved out left a bunch of old furniture, and these were the two that they left. Constantly. Tell us about when you were born? 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. Destroyed. And that was the end of them. Or is that real? That was real. George Burke was born on Staten Island and grew up in Annandale before moving to Florida with his family. They were some kind of jewelry like that but I dont remember what it was. I had a bulldozer two weeks, riding back-and-forth, and back-and-forth, and back-and-forth across the front of the house because you couldnt see the house from the water. And you cant control it from the grave. And one day. Im gonna save this house. Its still there, the framework of it, with the brick. I loved Alaska. Must have been twelve big columns, it was, oh! And I was the assistant to the general who was the surgeon for the European Command. She would say, The lilacs still in the front hall? And Id say, Oh, is that what that smell is? No, it wasnt that. You couldnt see the grounds through the trees and it was just covered and everything. I mean, I had a beautiful condo in Florida. Burke: Yes. And they repaired all these taxis, repainted them, and then sold them all to Cuba. Find your ancestry info and recent death notices for relatives and friends. Because I wanted the man that built the house, and this is the man that saved the house. Was very little time on here. Luis was great. Oh shit, Im going to have to rebuild the wall. So I started pulling the bricks out, and wrapped up where one of the bricks was, was an oil cloth rag all wrapped up. And my brother Bill and my brother Ed decided to go into an automobile repair shop. Would you just sell me two acres there? And also about the history of Staten Island, or the style that the house is decorated in, the Victorian style, your collection. I had no idea that that was it, when I bought the house or anything. And I did, I got in St. George wasnt it? But anyway, I had come back to America. Scarpaci Funeral Home of Staten Island LLC. Daller: But thats how he [referring to the painting of Mr. Seguine] came back to the house. Thanks very much to you. Its a beautiful house. It turned my stomach just to watch all of that gorgeous stuff just destroyed. Burke: And he was one of the top portrait painters in Madrid. I had all the walls done. Yes. Skip to main content (800) 896-5587. I was 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. He painted that for me. George Burke. It was unbelievably gorgeous. And, oh, nobefore then, when I had moved in, I had moved in, and the house had been empty for years. 06/26/1943 - 02/20/2023. He spends time in every part of it. Thats what it is. My big old Victorian house is saved, and thats still there. Because it was a big roof, like this, and then the gutters run around. Would you sell me the acres in the front? Burke: Oh, God, I stood on the edge here and I watched what was going on over there. When he came he got everything going. So, I would saywhat was it?the spring, and in the back of the house was the entrance to the cellar with the double doors, where you walked down the stairs, and it was all brick, and it had the doors. Burke: I had a beautiful big old house in Tottenville that I loved. And my other sisternow, of course shes passed awaybut now her daughter took it, and the daughter gave it to her daughter. She spent most of her life as a homemaker. Q: And how did you keep track of all the items in your collection as they were moving from, Burke: Well, a lot of this stuff, I never got back, because once you left it for years and years, you werent going to go back and say, Well, give me that, and give me this. Was it your mother I gave her all the blue and. And he dealed in antique rugs, and regular rugs and everything. Would you like to elaborate on that? You know, everybody grew up together. But down here, all the beautiful homes that were down here are gone. Its, all the numbers are accounted for. Daller: No. He said he believes that whoever was in that other house, really didnt want people there. Hes been maintaining it for forty-plus years. 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 then finally she sold the house and she bought a beautiful place in Greenwich Village and moved to Greenwich Village. Help NYPAP document and celebrate NYCs preservation movement. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. Q: And did you keep records of the restoration process? 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. Now, this is a portrait of Joseph Seguine. Burke, who knew of the home and property from the time when he was a child, was committed to the challenge. And, you know, who has that!? But I restored all that. But anyway, she said, No, Im not going in. He used to stay out here. In fact, I think it was just landmarked wasnt it? It has to stay exactly as an old plantation house. Daller: As a matter of fact, we had an event years ago. I said, No, no, no. I fixed it up. And they were slate, the roof, and by walking on the slates, they broke and they slid off, and wherever they slid off, the rain poured through because it was holes. And Ed was very good at taking dents and things out of cars and he could spray paint. Daller: So can you imagine a three room apartment filled to the brim with antiques? But you used tell me. The Seguine Mansion, also known as The Seguine-Burke Mansion, is located on Lemon Creek near the southern shore of Staten Island. Burke: Well, if she left them there, she had to come back as a ghost and tell me that they were there! Oh, God. And Id go downtown and Id wheel and deal for a bottle of whiskey. You could ask for their house and youd get it. But the only thing was it was too small. But the other house, one of his friends was pushed down the stairs. Q: Andif this is something that you cant discuss, let me knowbut, for example, if you decide to repaint, like you did in this room, is that something that the board fundraises for? We are a big family. That was gorgeous. So I went out and I said toI had two roommates, and I said to my roommates, Wheres my box? And they said Oh, well, Sergeant Joiner came in and took it. I said, Oh, no! I went running out. They cant build houses on it. Daller: See, now you learned about kitchens. Daller: So not that much time was spent on Staten Island. Q: No, that covers it! They tear down one house and build five. But I put the kitchen in the basement and sealed up that, because once that filled up with water, it would leak into the basement. The only thing that will save this house as a bulldozer! [laughs] But anyway, I saved it. So it shows you that you have a friend forever. Devoted father of Matthew I. Burke, Jason L. Burke, and Georgina P. Burke, all of Hull. Now the little girl had to be moved to Wall Street. Sell the other half to Billthat was my brother and you and George, move with me to Florida. So we all thought that was a great idea. Because look how long the war went, and England had nothing. Daller: Well, you got involved with Burkes Landing with Scalia. Yes, of course, they could eat all the grass. And I studied architecture and the history of design and everything, I know all that. Daller: We lived several places. And it didnt take long to sell because it was a big piece of property, nice house. It was a sweet sixteen Ill never forget. Burke: I never lived in a little small house, I have no idea. Special thanks to The Peggy N and Roger G Gerry Charitable Trust for their support to complete this initiative. And their mansion, the White people that owned SS White, the White family, owned right across the creek, there, where the Captains Quarters [private development] are. Im joining the Air Force. So I went out and I joined the United States Air Force of course. Coach Robert Joseph "Bob" Burke, 74, died April 4, 2020, at home, surrounded by his loving family, in Wilson, N.C. He was 63. All these walls used to be white. Anyway, there was three things that I found by doing some worklike, giftsI forget what they were. The real estate lady wouldnt come in. And she kept, George, please, go save my house. And it was actually three stories high. Q: And so all these items went upwalked up the stairs and were, carried back down the stairs. All the grounds, the stables, everythingthey cant change a thing. But alls I know, they closed in New York and they moved out there. And underneath it was a whole kitchen and dining room that opened out to under the porch. Burke: Yes. So when I get out of the service, I got a job. And the porch, I dont thinkone end of it, you wouldnt dare walk on because the whole thing would have collapsed. 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? The mansion was gorgeous! Daller: Yes. I dreamed, I saw it. The stables, everything has to remain the same. Find the obituary of William Burke (1966 - 2021) from Staten Island, NY. Lets move out, youre being kicked out anyway, the house is sold. And I decided, well, Im going to pick up some nice buildings. George Burke's White Party NEW! I said, Well, the only one I know that talked like that is Bess Seguine. She said, Well, this is me. I said, What is it, Bess? She said, I want you to come and save my house. I said, Are you kidding, Bess? I said, as a kid growing up, we were always down on the beach, looking back up at this big white house that looked like a big Southern mansion. What the woman who was caretaking her, what she had to do was constantly keep lilacs next to the bed. Then, on that side, was the dining room, and the kitchen. The income from the Seguine Equestrian Center, which stables some twenty horses a stone's throw from the mansion, helps. And I had more bargains from Mrs. Murphy. Burke: Yes, I had to go down in the basement, and put a post, and then I had to jack up the stairs. The Seguine girls, as they were called,. And the house was like this, a big piece with two big wings. And its three little girls sitting on a bench with big baskets of flowers in front of them. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved George Burke of Hull, Massachusetts, who passed away at the age of 63, on October 2, 2021. And Diane said, Oh, Marian has it.. She was the girl who hired me, and she ran the big Sherwin Williams store. And after he died the family still lived like we had my fathers money involved. It was similar, only bigger and more ornate. Or is there a way for things to be changed? Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm MDT . But it looked like an attic with the roof like that and everything. I mean, we had clocks, baby-Ben clocks, hanging in apartments. Unfortunately, all the grounds areI dont even know if the house is there anymore! You dont have to worry about, sleeping on your couches and all that kind of stuff, and, you know, pulling out fake beds, and that kind of stuff. Im sure some will. I wanted to ask about the Equestrian Center. And I took that for years. And she was laying with her arms, like that. The Secret Service, as well as a Cohasset school accounting specialist and the superintendent, are determining how much the operation cost the town. Obituary George W. Burke, age 63, of Hull, entered into eternal rest on October 2, 2021. So most of the stuff is Victorianturn of the century and Victorian. And then the Eric woke up, and I said, Well, I dont know. And then, on the side of the house in the back, there was a little piece built out. It was so overgrown in the front yard and everything. And youd walk out, and the porch was all brick, and at the end of the porch was a big arch that had little windows in it and a French door where you could walk out to the garden. If you are going to stay, you better do this this and this, whatever the hell it was. You cant ride on the street. Q: I wanted to ask, also, theres a painting of you in the house, right? And this is Sarah Dziedzic. Soon, nobody had room in their house to store anymore of my stuff. But I had all this beautiful carved stuff. Architectural style and interior style? Before he left, the house was fine. I want it now. I could never get it. And I often wondered what happened to that brooch because I gave it to Bess. In fact, her husband was a big-wig. Wed go down through the junk yards and whatnot. And you would have been taxed in this country if it was already like that. So there wasnt a lot of time spent here. Burke: But anyway, it was a big beautiful cameo brooch, and was wrapped in an oil cloth rag! Burke: The only thing is, the house will be closed. You werent allowed to buy much because it was worth a fortune over there to the general public, to the British. In fact, my mother worked there. And I said, Oh, shit. It was so overgrown. He was born Jan. 21, 1946, in The Bronx, N.Y. Bob is survived by his loving wife. Otherwise, Id never be able to have half the stuff thats in here because it would have cost me a private fortune to have it shipped. Its some very wealthy unknown-known person who was there. And there were two windows, like this. According to the funeral home, the following services have. And she had this woman who was a caretaker. Facebook. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of George Burke to show support. They cant do anything. And the house was really, needed shapebut thank God it was built as well is it was built, otherwise it would have fallen down. Q: Was it Mario that suggested the life tenancy agreement? They couldnt handle it, the clientele that came in. My sister, Frances, got me a nice little apartment in the Bronx, right next to her. And you can put it together and fix it. Burke: Yes. And the post is still there and the staircase is still in good shapebut thats still in the house, now, down there. If you lived in Alaska, where it was always cold, it was fine. And she said, George, do you know who this is? and with her big Southern accent. Is that what you want? Q: Your collection of the items that you bought from Mrs. Murphy. Half the railings were gone off the porch, and the column was falling over, and, oh, Jesus. And all those Eskimos just loved me. Daller: But it feels like home. It was terrible. Of course, I went to school here. And here was the street. Q: So about this house, I wanted to ask about the Friends of the Seguine Mansion. And then I shipped it all back home. Yes, that was all Scalamandr. Most of them were little things. You know, he just passed away. George Burke. And then of course, being in New York and being in the thing like that, I got to be very, very good friends, with Scalamandr. And I made a lot of money. Most recent obituaries in New York. If you dont want to come dont show up. And he said since hes been here, he has nobody here. They dont know it. I could make another funeral parlor out of that. And I said, No, lets not make a funeral parlor. And I looked in the thing, I said, Holy shit. Youd have to see the house to see what Im talking about. My mother and his wife never got along too well. My sisterher mother [indicates Daller], Francesmy sister living in the Bronx, she got me a little apartment and she got me a job working for Saks Fifth Avenue. 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. Burke: But I forgot what the other two things where. 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