“Forty years ago, I took a seat as a freshman at St. Ignatius. Next to me was the kid whose name alphabetically preceded mine. I was Celeste. He was Burke. Joe Burke. As fate would have it, we also shared the same birthday. He would become my closest friend. We were college roommates. He was at my wedding. A lot has changed in our lives over the years; but Joe remains the same man. Smart, hardworking, resilient, generous, loyal, fair-minded – and most importantly, an embodiment of the Ignatius model of a “man for others.” Joe never traveled far from his Bay Village roots. He became a lawyer, started a family, built a practice, and kept on being of service throughout his Westside community. This past year Joe decided to run for Judge in the Rocky River Municipal Court. Joe is a Republican, and I’m a lifelong Democrat, from a family of prominent Democrats. But being a judge isn’t about your party affiliation, it’s about your values and character. Joe was built to be a judge; he has the experience, temperament, compassion, and respect for others the office demands. No matter your political party, you won’t regret voting for Joe Burke.”

– Christopher Celeste