Burkle, Jeanne Mayo 1927-1985

BURKLE, GOSSETT, MAYO, EILERT

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/20/2012 at 09:42:08

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register

JEANNE BURKLE MEMORIAL SET

Jeanne Mayo Burkle, 58, of 1326 Broad St., Grinnell, died of cancer at her home Saturday morning, July 6.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 13, in Herrick Chapel on the Grinnell College campus. The body was cremated.

A memorial scholarship in Jeanne Burkle's name has been established at the college. Those wishing to contribute may do so through the College Development Office or through the Smith Funeral Home, where friends may call for additional information.

She was born on Jan. 5, 1927, at Fort Smith, Ark., the daughter of Ben I. Mayo and Lillian Dale Gossett. She was a graduate of Fort Smith High School, Tulane University, and the University of Iowa where she earned an M.A. in art history.

In 1948 she was married to Howard Burkle, and in 1958 the couple moved to Grinnell. At Grinnell College she directed the tutoring program, worked in the Rosenfield Program in Human Relations as a researcher on women's issues, and did occasional lecturing on religion and art in the Religious Studies department.

Mrs. Burkle had long been active in promoting the arts in Grinnell. She served on the Iowa Humanities Board and the Grinnell Area Arts Council. In 1982, she helped the latter secure National Endowment for the Humanities funding for a "Focus on Grinnell" program which highlighted worthy aspects of the architecture of Grinnell. She was recently appointed by the Grinnell City Council to serve on the Grinnell Art Gallery Committee.

She is survived by her husband, Howard; her son, Michael of Grinnell; her daughter Amy Eilert of Grinnell; three grandchildren; her mother, Dale Gossett Mayo; and two brothers, Col. Ben I. Mayo Jr. of Fort Smith and James W. Mayo of Scott, Ark. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Heidi, and her father.