Vincent C. Burke Jr., 86; Chairman of Riggs Bank, Prominent Civic Leader

Vincent C. Burke Jr., 86, who as chairman and chief executive of Riggs National Bank was one of Washington's most visible civic leaders of the 1970s and 1980s, died of a heart ailment Dec. 29 at Sibley Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Burke led what was Washington's largest bank from 1973 until 1982, when he was ousted by Joe L. Allbritton, who had taken over the bank after a bruising, lengthy battle. The abrupt dismissal of the genial Mr. Burke shocked the business community.

Mr. Burke, a lawyer, joined the Steptoe & Johnson law firm and became counsel to the commissioners of baseball, A. Bartlett Giamatti and Fay Vincent. He was on the field at the 1989 World Series when a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay area, interrupting the third game of the series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A's. He also guided Giamatti during the Pete Rose betting scandal, which ended with the Cincinnati Reds player and manager agreeing to a lifetime ban from the sport.

Even while working at what became the most enjoyable assignment of his life, Mr. Burke continued to serve on the boards of many Washington area companies and organizations. He was on the boards of Chevy Chase Bank, Pepco, C&P Telephone, Garfinckel's, Acacia Mutual Insurance, Drug Fair, the United Way, Heroes Inc. and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He was the first lay chairman of the board of Catholic University and was chairman emeritus of the Clark Winchcole Foundation, which supports more than 200 charities. He was also a past president of the D.C. Bankers Association.

Vincent C. Burke was born in Louisville and moved to Washington as a boy, when his father joined the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. His father, Vincent C. Burke Sr., became the first assistant postmaster general of the United States.

The younger Mr. Burke graduated from Gonzaga College High School and Georgetown University. He received a law degree in 1950 from Georgetown's law school and received a master's degree in banking from Rutgers University in 1958. He served in the Navy during World War II.

He was an assistant prosecutor in the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia, then briefly worked in private practice before joining Riggs in 1954 as an assistant trust officer. Riggs, known as the "bank of presidents," served 21 first families over the years, financed the purchase of Alaska and was for many years the largest bank in the region. It became part of PNC Financial Services in 2005.

Mr. Burke rose through the ranks at Riggs, becoming president in 1973 and chairman and chief executive in 1975. He was often quoted in the press on economic conditions and was chairman of the Federal City Council, the quiet nonprofit organization of 200 city leaders who work behind the scenes to shape local government policy.

When Allbritton staged his $70 million bid for 40 percent of Riggs stock in 1981, Mr. Burke was among those in the bank's management who regarded it as a hostile takeover. He testified in a deposition during the lengthy fight, "You know, Mr. Allbritton must wear out a pair of tennis shoes at least once a day, if not more."

Asked to explain the comment, Mr. Burke continued, "Well, Joe changes his mind. . . . He says in one context, 'If you don't want me [at Riggs], I won't come. I will even forfeit a tremendous amount of money.' Then he does come. Then he makes a tender offer [for the bank]. So I just don't understand. . . . Joe Allbritton obviously either changes his mind a great deal, or doesn't -- and he has no obligation to -- he doesn't communicate his basic thoughts."

Despite that, Mr. Burke stayed on at the bank for six more months, having received assurances from Allbritton that he was a key manager.

He was a member of the Alfalfa Club, the Alibi Club, Burning Tree and Columbia country clubs, the Metropolitan Club and the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.

His wife, Celine Gallagher Burke, died in 1997.

Survivors include six children, Louise Whalen of Rockville, Vincent C. Burke III of Chevy Chase, Ginna Chambers of Vienna, Julia M. Burke of Washington, Thomas M. Burke of San Francisco and Celine Rihn of Pittsburgh; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandson.