'Giving back to community': Nationwide program reroofs Worcester WWII vet's home

WORCESTER — Richard Burke is accustomed to his military father, John H. Burke, always keeping to himself about any difficulties in life.

That was true about his combat service in the Battle of the Rhineland — aka the Rhineland Offensive — in Germany during World War II as a Worcester high school student who had yet to graduate.

That was also true when he had to care for his disabled oldest son for 60 years, even though he was an elementary school teacher at Mill Swan Elementary School who had to provide for a family of eight.

When the roof of the house in which he lives alone started to leak, the 97-year-old said to his children that he’d pay for it himself, even though he couldn’t afford to do so.

“He’s very proud of his military service,” Burke, his son, said. “He left as a boy came back as a man who gave to his country.”

Thursday morning, workers scraped off the old roofing of Burke’s city home.

It was the first of many steps to rebuild the roof with the mediation of Habitat for Humanity, a Greater Worcester and MetroWest nonprofit organization, with the manpower of Red Dog’s Roofing and with materials provided by Owens Corning National Roof Deployment Project, an Ohio-based company that specializes in roofing materials.

Richard Burke reached out to Habitat for Humanity when he first saw discoloration starting to appear on the ceilings of his father's home.

As he described the house where he was raised and that his father lived in, he pointed to the kitchen ceiling, which was marked with dark spots.

After getting in touch with Paul Rebello, construction manager at Habitat for Humanity, everything fell into place.

Working Owens Corning, Habitat for Humanity helps provide roofing services for veterans, according to Rebello.

Craig Bouthiello, Owens Corning's senior area sales manager, said that its Roof Deployment Project program rebuilds two to three roofs a year for New England veterans, and almost 300 a year nationwide.

“We want to give back to the community,” said Bouthiello. “These are projects that bring everyone together in the community to help someone that has given so much to the country.”

With eight workers on top of the house and three others who directed from below, work was to wrap up by 1 p.m., according to Michael Macioci, Red Dog's senior project manager.

While Burke rested inside the house, Maureen Comer, his daughter, stood outside of her childhood house feeling thankful for the work.

“To say that we’re appreciative of what they’re doing is not enough,” said Comer. “This is very emotional for the whole family.”

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: John H. Burke of Worcester has home reroofed by local organizations and companies