Brother Daniel Burke, 89, president of LaSalle College

Brother Daniel Burke, 89, former president of La Salle College and founder-director of the La Salle University Art Museum, died Saturday, Nov. 14, from cardiac problems at De La Salle Hall, a nursing home for members of the Christian Brothers in Lincroft, N.J.

Born in Pittsburgh, he received bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, all in English, from Catholic University of America.

He taught English at West Catholic High School and elsewhere before joining the faculty at La Salle, now a university, in 1957 as an assistant professor of English.

Brother Burke was named vice president for academic affairs in 1960, and held that title until becoming president in June 1969. He was the school's leader until December 1976. Part of his legacy was shaping the university into a more rigorous academic institution, the school said in a statement marking his death.

"He took exceptional interest in the college's academic excellence," said longtime friend and colleague Brother Emery Mollenhauer. "He built a strong foundation by establishing many of the governing committees and handbooks that are still in place today."

During Brother Burke's tenure, the university went fully coeducational. It also increased the number of female faculty members from three to 25, and opened Hayman Hall and Olney Hall.

In 1978, after a sabbatical, he returned to La Salle as professor of English and director of the art museum. He retired in 2010.

Brother Burke's lifelong love of art had been fostered during weekly visits to the Carnegie Museums when he was very young, the university said. He believed that La Salle students should be able to see - not just read about - works of art. So he made it his business to acquire some. Starting out with $3,000 in seed money in 1965, Brother Burke bought pieces of art slowly and selectively. He traded up wisely, the university said. The result was a collection described by former Inquirer art critic Edward J. Sozanski as a "little jewel."

The museum that officially opened in 1976 now contains more than 4,000 pieces of artwork, including pieces by Durer, Eakins, Picasso, and Degas.

Levelheaded and calm, Brother Burke surprised his colleagues in 1971 when he joined religious leaders in a Holy Week prayer and fasting vigil in Washington, the university said. The demonstration was intended to focus attention on the Vietnam War, the country's racial tensions and rising poverty.

For seven days, Brother Burke lived on nothing but water and juice. He stood outside the White House and at one point chained himself to the fence, the university said.

"If anyone had predicted that I would become involved in a public demonstration, I would have laughed and said that simply wasn't my style. But the religious nature of this action compelled me to think about my responsibilities in a very personal way," Brother Burke said at the time.

He is survived by a brother, a sister, and a niece.

A Funeral Mass was Wednesday, Nov. 18. Burial is to be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 20, in the brothers' cemetery at La Salle Hall, 6001 Ammendale Rd., Beltsville, Md.

Donations may be made to La Salle University Art Museum's Brother Daniel Burke Endowment Fund, c/o La Salle University Advancement Office, 1900 W. Olney Ave., Box 809, Philadelphia 19141.

bcook@phillynews.com

610-313-8102