Mildred Aline Burkeen

Mildred Aline Burkeen, of Groesbeck, passed away Sunday, January 16, 2011 at her residence, at age 76. Visitation will be Tuesday, January 18, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Services will be Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 2:00 P.M. at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Judge Daniel Burkeen officiating. Burial will follow in Union Cemetery (Freestone County.) Pallbearers will be R.T. Beck, Jason Black, Raymond Latham, Larry Terrell, Steven Valentine, Spencer Wright, Carl Young, and Shawn Burkeen. Mildred was born on September 3, 1934, to Carl R. Young and Julia Irene (Lummus) Young at Donie, TX. She was the second of nine children, in a family with five brothers and three sisters, so she grew up learning to work and help out in taking care of others. She grew up and graduated from school at Fair Oaks. In 1951, Mildred was married to Boyd Burkeen, and they moved to Houston where they lived about sixteen years, with a few years during that time back in Groesbeck. In 1970, Mildred moved back to Groesbeck with her children, and trained to be a nurse. She worked as an LVN for the next thirty years at the nursing home on Parkside Drive (which changed ownership and names many times during those years.) The last ten of those years, she was the charge nurse on the Alzheimer’s ward. Mrs. Burkeen was loved by many families for the care and attention she gave her patients. She also enjoyed spending time reading and making various crafts, and especially enjoyed making flower arrangements. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Gary Burkeen; a daughter, Karen Valentine; and five brothers, Arnold “Red” Young, Cecil “Butch” Young, Kenneth “Buster” Young, Carl “Turk” Young, and Geney Wayne Young. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, David and Jana Burkeen of Groesbeck; sister, Pauline “Polly” Young of Personville; sister, Charlene Black of Personville; sister, Wanda Latham of Groesbeck; five grandchildren, Shawn Burkeen, Jennifer Burkeen, Bridget Valentine, Steven Valentine, and Heath Burkeen; and five great grandchildren, Savannah Williams, Kaylie Williams, Noah Burkeen, Levi Burkeen, Jacob Chrisner.