Joan Burke
Pursers Dept
Newsletter Editor

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Joan Burke joined Project Liberty Ship in 1996. Although she has no maritime background, she credits a childhood visit to the ESSO BALTIMORE as the beginning of her interest in ships. Her uncle had a distinguished career with Standard (later Esso), including serving as Chief Engineer of the ESSO BOLIVAR in World War II. It was at his invitation that she and her family were able to tour the brand-new tanker.

Joan currently works for the U.S. Government, with a background is in computer programming and data analysis. Looking for something "different and unusual" to get involved in, she volunteered to serve aboard the John W. Brown and was soon assigned by Purser Herk Esibill as his assistant. This position soon expanded to include that of assistant secretary when Herk, who is also the Project's Secretary, discovered she was computer literate.

An avid traveler and amateur photographer, her photos of the John W. Brown and Project Liberty Ship events have appeared in various PLS publications, cruise advertisements and also in the Great Lakes Seaway Review. Her photo of the Brown was featured on the cover of the PLS' Great Liberty Ship Calendar.

Since late 1998 she has been the editor of Project Liberty Ship's newsletter, Liberty Log (another of the purser's ideas). Now, after a hard day of working with computers, she can be found working on one at home, too, collecting material, researching information and keeping contact with many of PLS supporters late into the night.

Joan says that she sometimes wishes Secretary Esibill would keep his 'ideas' to himself or share them with others, as nearly all of her 'free' time is now spent in the service of Project Liberty Ship - but she wouldn't have it any other way.