Chester Burke will miss his daughter's cookies and brownies the most; Chris Burke will miss the way his younger sister made him feel important; Summer Rinehart will miss her sister's laugh and jokes.
As news of 19-year-old
Sara Burke's death spread on Wednesday, family members hold on to the memories they share of their "rambunctious" daughter and sister.
"I have to remind myself that she's not going to come home. Everything reminds me of Sara; she's everywhere," said her mother, DeNae Burke.
Police found Burke stabbed to death near the intersection of Warren Avenue and Eighth Street on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing arguments and a woman screaming around that time before finding Burke lying on the ground with a stab wound to her neck.
Detectives continue to investigate the case and have not made any arrests. Police did not release any more information Wednesday regarding possible suspects, whether a weapon was found, or whether they believe the victim knew her attacker.
On Wednesday, family members gathered at the Burkes' Bremerton residence and told stories of Sara's spirit and "golden heart," — easing some of the pain of losing a young girl who just finally started to figure out her passion in life.
The second youngest out of five kids, Sara was always "at the center of the circle," Chester Burke said. "She got in your face all the time and wasn't afraid to tell you what she thought," he said.
He had not spoken to Sara in the days leading up to her death. He was busy helping out his oldest daughter move out of her Port Orchard house. Sara was working on getting her high school diploma at Renaissance Alternative High School in Bremerton after a yearlong break from school.
When her family returned to Bremerton after a two-year stay in Idaho in 2008, Burke spent a few months with her then-boyfriend in Pennsylvania. When they broke up, she returned to Bremerton. Last fall, she decided to seriously pursue school again, her father said.
She was on the honor roll and finally figured out that she wanted to go into the early childhood development field, possibly working as a teacher, said Rinehart, 25.
"She had so much potential." Rinehart said. In a November Facebook post, Burke wrote "School is going so great. I'm getting all the things I need to do done. I'm so amazed and happy that I'm going to graduate this year. Finally."
Her 23-year-old brother, Chris, said of all his siblings, he was closest to Sara. They developed a "special connection," cemented by candid conversations about problems or dilemmas throughout her life. He said his sister was popular and well-liked by everyone.
"She was so strong. She stuck up for everyone, even if she doesn't know you," he said. "She was a shield and protected everyone."
Her youngest sibling, Patrick Burke, 14, said that she was probably on her way to or coming back from her boyfriend's house on Wednesday night, a few blocks away from her parents' home.
Family members said the last time they spoke to Sara was on Tuesday afternoon, when she returned home from school and was getting "all pretty" for the night. "Sara spent a lot of time with her friends, didn't come home too much," Patrick Burke said.
Chris Burke, who has been in the Army for the past four years, said he worried about the choices his sister made recently, disapproving of some of her friends. "Whenever we talked, I always asked her if things were wrong; but she would say no. I wish she told me 'Hey big brother, I need help.' I would have stepped in. Maybe show her some defense moves," he said. "This always happens to the good people."
Sara's recent Facebook postings suggested a deteriorating relationship. "Done with the emotional games and heart break," she wrote in a March 13 post. "He's torn me apart, if I don't end it then there will be nothing left of my heart."
" he's trying to turn me into a jealous, mean, and bad person. Well I'm taking a stand for myself and ending things." Her nephew, Liam MacPherson, 14, said his cousin was one of those girls guys always wanted to date.
"But she had good taste in friends and when she didn't I would tell her," he said.
MacPherson said Burke told him some "issues" she was having — he declined to say the kind.
Friends set up a vigil filled with pictures of Sara at the crime scene on Wednesday.
After visiting the vigil, Chester Burke doesn't understand why anybody would hurt his daughter.
"It is horrific. I don't see how somebody could take somebody else's life without care, especially my baby," he said, holding back tears. "Everybody just loved her."
