On March 25, 2012 Norita Burke Messick passed peacefully among family. She was ninety-nine and lived her entire life in Baltimore. She is survived by her children Raymond A., R. Christopher, Rosalie E., Richard F., and Roger. She was preceded in death by her son Robert and her husband G. Samuel Messick. She was loving mother-in-law to Patricia Cosgrove Messick, Ellen Calhoun, Louise Pontius, Mumtaz Kammerer and Sandra MacKenzie. She is also survived by her grandchildren Richard (R.C.) Koerner, Mary Mengason, Sarah Jones, Samuel Messick and five great-grandchildren, as well as by one sister, Nina T. Oberle of Rochester, NY. She was a daughter to the late Michael and Margaret G. Burke, sister to the late Anne B. Arthur and William M. Burke. She was a loving aunt to many dear nieces and nephews.

A reception for friends and relatives will be held at the Ruck Towson Funeral Home at 1050 York Road, on Friday from 7 to 9 PM with a Mass of Christian Resurrection to be celebrated on Saturday at 10:30 AM at St. Ignatius Church, 740 N. Calvert St. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in her memory can be made to Enoch Pratt Free Library, Dept of Institutional Advancement, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD 21201.