Jean Deloris Burgus 1920-2009

BURGUS, HINGST, ROWE

Posted By: deb (email)
Date: 5/1/2015 at 21:30:41

The Hawk Eye

Mrs. Jean Deloris Burgus, 89, of Burlington died at 6:32 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at Great River Hospice House in West Burlington.

Born March 13, 1920, in Letts, she was the daughter of Albert and Lydia Rebecca Hingst Rowe. On March 20, 1952, she married Harold S. Burgus in Grandview. He preceded her in death on October 24, 2001.

Mrs. Burgus was valedictorian of her 1937 Letts High School graduating class. She also graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in 1941. In September of 1942, Mrs. Burgus entered the Army Nurse Corps. She served as a first lieutenant at the 124th Station Hospital in Camp Carson, Colorado, went overseas and worked in Army Hospitals in the Pacific Theatre at Brisbane, Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines, earning two Battle Stars. She was discharged from active duty on May 5, 1946, at Fitzsimons Hospital in Denver and served in the Reserves until November 1953. She was very proud of her service in the Army and frequently visited area cemeteries on Memorial Day to place flags on veterans' graves.

Following World War II, Mrs. Burgus worked at Children's Hospital in Omaha, Oklahoma City, University of Oklahoma and then Mercy Hospital working with children during the Polio Epidemic. She was respected by nurses and doctors alike and frequently did special duty for very ill patients.

Mrs. Burgus also was a registered nurse serving the Burlington School District 14 years. She retired in 2004 after 63 years of Nursing.

She was a very active member of First Congregational Church of Burlington where she served on several boards and committees, babysat and attended national conferences. She also was a member of P.T.A., Brownies, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and American Red Cross. She loved nature, animals, growing up on the family farm, children, mushrooming, gardening and canning. She was famous for her pies and was an avid conservationist. She loved her country and her flag and enjoyed Army reunions.

Survivors include one son, Randall (Wendy) Burgus of Burlington; two daughters, Gail (Steve) Burnett of Anaheim, California, and Carolyn (Darryl) Nelson of Mt. Pleasant; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, Wesley Rowe of Muscatine and Lawrence "Babe" Rowe of Grandview; and nieces and nephews.

Her husband, parents, three sisters and two brothers preceded her in death.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Sunday, April 12th, in Lunning Chapel.

The funeral service for Mrs. Burgus will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 13th, in First Congregational Church. The Reverend Jonathan Noble will officiate. Interment will be in Kossuth Cemetery, rural Mediapolis.

A memorial has been established for First Congregational Church.