DOROTHY JUNE BURNAM

DOROTHY JUNE BURNAM

June 25, 1922 – July 10, 2012

Dorothy June (Gates) Burnam was born on June 25, 1922, in Bevier, MO.  She was the firstborn child of Frank and Dora (Wright) Gates and step-father, Henry Troeger.  June graduated from Bevier High School in 1940.  Following her graduation from Chillicothe Business College in 1941, she was employed at Macon Chronicle Herald and then Curtis-Wright Defense Plant in St. Louis.  She later worked for Binkley Coal Company and Macon County Ambulance District until her eye sight was affected by macular degeneration in 1983.

Upon returning to Bevier, she married Kenneth Wayne Burnam in 1946.  In 2006, they joyously celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary just prior to Kenneth’s passing.

June & Kenneth owned and operated the Bevier Midway Grocery & Liquor Store from 1946-1948 and Burnam’s Grocery at the corner of Pace & Rutherford Street in Macon, from 1951-1971.

June was an active member of Laureate Chapter Beta Sigma Phi from 1945 until her Chapter closed in 2009.  She was also a member of the Order of Eastern Star (Macon Chapter) since 1947.  In 1951, she moved her membership to First Christian Church in Macon where she continued her membership and served in many volunteer capacities.

June was known for spending time with her family and friends and always willing to keep her grandchildren.  Her favorite times were holiday and family birthday celebrations with home cooked meals.   June will be remembered for her famous homemade Rhubarb-Strawberry Pies.  She was the Queen of Canning everything Kenneth produced in his large garden.

June is survived by two children, Larry Burnam of Columbia, MO and Karen Luther (Fred) of Fulton; five grandchildren, Frank Burnam (Kim) of Topeka, KS, Nate Burnam (Amber) of Macon, Nick Burnam (Jamie) of Columbia, Erik Luther (Jessica) of Austin, TX, and Shannon Schaeffer (Tim) of Henderson, NV; and seven great- grandchildren, Kameron June Burnam, Dakota Muncy, Alize Burnam, Natalie Burnam, Hayden Luther, Josh Luther and Mary Elizabeth Luther; and one brother, Irvin Gates of Macon.

June is preceded in death by her husband and her parents.

Funeral services will be Saturday, July 14, 2012, at 2:00 pm at the Hutton and McElwain Funeral Home in Macon with Brother Jim Bolin officiating.  Burial will be in Richardsdale Cemetery in Bevier, MO.  Visitation will be from 12:30 pm till the time of service at the funeral home.  The family suggests memorials to First Christian Church in Macon.