Anke Burger, 87, of Pullman, passed away Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at her Pullman home. Anke was born June 19, 1935, in Berlin, Germany, to Dr. Walter and Irmgard (Bramm) David. She grew up in Germany and trained as a medical technician there following high school.
In 1962, she moved to the United States to work as a laboratory technician at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Later, Anke moved to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where she met her future husband, Dieter Burger, who was a graduate student at the time. They were married in Madison on Sept. 26, 1964, and moved to Pullman that same year. Anke raised their family and was actively involved in the children’s many activities during those years.
Anke returned to school in the 1980s and received a Bachelor of Science in horticulture from Washington State University. Anke worked at WSU as an administrative assistant until her retirement.
Anke had an inquisitive, science-minded nature and a warm and generous soul. She loved gardening, music, literature, and refining her knowledge about native plants and nature around her. Anke always put family first in her life and provided inspiration and moral support to everyone who had the pleasure of getting to know her. In her later years, she became involved with the Idaho Native Plant Society in addition to being a member of the Nature Conservancy, the California Invasive Plant Council and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Pullman.
She is survived by her husband, Dieter Burger, of Pullman; her daughter Jutta Burger and partner Bob; sisters Ingrid David, Hilke David-Bruce and Gesine Eder. Anke was preceded in death by her son Rolf in 1988.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 28, at Trinity Lutheran Church, in Pullman. Corbeill Funeral Home of Pullman is in charge of the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Idaho Native Plant Society, the WSU Rolf M. Burger Memorial Scholarship, or Trinity Lutheran Church. Online condolences may be sent to corbeillfuneralhomes.com.
