Mary (Betty) Burks
- Published: May 12, 2011
Betty Burks
Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Gilmore Burks died Saturday, May 7, at Friends Care Community. She was 84.
Betty was born on Jan. 24, 1927, in Columbus, Ohio. She was adopted at the age of 9 months by Willard and Mattie Gilmore. She graduated from Springfield High School in 1944, where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She was employed as a deputy clerk in the Springfield Probate Court for 10 years, and worked for four months in the Pettigrew Record Shops as a clerk. She retired from a position in the Foreign Technology Division at WPAFB as an intelligence research specialist after 30 years.
Betty was baptized at Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church when she was 11 years old, and moved her membership to St. John Missionary Baptist Church when she was 18 years old. Here she was a member of the Choralettes, Willing Workers and mass choir, and was church secretary for five years. She was also a member of Golden Star Chapter No. 1, the Retirement Set and the Club Tota Amigos.
Betty married Emmett Lamar Burks in 1950. They adopted their daughter, Charita, when she was three months old.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents and her loving husband. She is survived by her daughter, Charita Rhone, grandchildren Dacia, Jerrica and Travis Rhone and great-grandchild KaDesha Crockran. She is also survived by brothers Jacob Gilmore of Denver, Colo. and Gregory (Karyl) Gilmore of Md., sister Anna (Dwight) Kenerly of Springfield, special nephew Carlton (Laura) Gilmore, other nephews, nieces, and cousins and her church family. Betty’s family would like to thank the staff of Friends Care Community for the excellent care they provided her.
Services will be held held Thursday, May 12, 1 p.m. at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Springfield.
The Yellow Springs News encourages respectful discussion of this article.
You must login to post a comment.
Don't have a login? Register for a free YSNews.com account.
No comments yet for this article.