Emogene Ruth Burton, or Jean to her family and friends, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016.
She was born on Monday, Dec. 22, 1930, near Adel, Iowa, to Fred and Delsie (Shipley) Cole. Jean’s family moved to California when she was 4 years old; there she lived until she was 22 years old.
Jean attended nursing school in Stockton, Calif., until she married her first husband, David Paul Mark, in July 1951. Jean and David had two daughters, Sharon Lee Mark Holcomb (Danny) and Katherine Marie Mark Reeder (Jim). David Mark died in July 1955 during a training flight accident with the Navy.
In 1959 Jean married Donald Wayne Burton and they had two children, a son, Donald Wayne Burton II, and a daughter, Rosemary Burton Maxwell (Brett).
Jean lived in Missouri the remainder of her life and worked as a receptionist in a family practice clinic for 27 years. Jean crocheted magnificent afghans and blankets, most of which she gave as gifts and donated to various cancer centers. Nothing gave Jean more pleasure than being with her family, going to church and following University of Kansas Jayhawks basketball, as well as the Kansas City Royals baseball and Kansas City Chiefs football teams.
Surviving Jean are her 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, as well as her sister, Rose, and two nephews.
Jean attended West Tracy Church of Christ.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 8, at West Tracy Church of Christ in Excelsior Springs, Mo. Inurnment will take place in the White Chapel Cemetery in Kansas City, Mo., at a later date. Arrangements are through Bross & Spidle Funeral Home, 816-630-3131.
Memorials may be directed to Fair Haven Children’s Home in Strafford, Mo.