Burket, John Anson, 1882-1933

BURKET, CHROGE

Posted By: Lydia Lucas-Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/22/2011 at 00:34:06

DEATH CLAIMS DR. J. A. BURKET
Passed Away Monday Morning at Palo Alto, Calif.
Was 51 Years of Age and Served as Lieutenant-Colonel in Medical Corps During World War

Dr. John A. Burket, who grew to young manhood in Ireton and Hawarden, died suddenly at Palo Alto, Calif., early Monday morning [July 10] from heart failure. No particulars concerning his death were contained in the message received by his brother, G. F. Burket, and no word had previously been received indicating that he was not in his customary good health.

John Anson Burket was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Burket, pioneer settlers of Sioux county. He was born on a farm near Ireton July 5, 1882, so was just past 51 years of age when death called him. The family moved to Ireton when he was 4 years old and his early boyhood was spent there. In the spring of 1898 the Burket family moved to Hawarden. John was a Senior in high school at that time and remained in Ireton until the close of school in order that he might be graduated with his class after which he joined the family in Hawarden. The following year he entered the commercial department of the Hawarden high school and took business training work for a time after which he filled various places in Hawarden business establishments.

When the late Dr. F. J. McAllister located in Hawarden in 1902, John was employed by him to look after his team and to accompany him on his country drives. He slept nights in Dr. McAllister's office so that he might be constantly available to accompany the Doctor on calls. It was during this period that he reached the decision to take up the study of medicine and in the fall of 1903 entered the medical department of the University of Iowa. During his years at the University he practiced self-denial to an unusual degree in order to continue in school. He possessed a natural talent for assembling and co-ordinating facts and became a brilliant medical student, graduating with an M.D. degree in 1907.

A few months following his graduation he located at Driscoll, N.D., and began his professional career. He remained there only about a year and a half when he located at Keswick, Iowa, but had been at the latter place only a few months when in the summer of 1909 he accepted an appointment in the medical corps of the United States Army. About 1911 he was ordered to the Philippine Islands for a tour of duty and later went with American troops to China where he remained for a year or two. Returning to this country at the expiration of his foreign tour he was stationed at army posts in California and Wyoming until the United States entered the World War. At this time he held a commission as captain in the medical corps and spent some time in an army cantonment at Chillicothe, Ohio. From there he was ordered to Camp Logan at Houston, Texas, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and served as camp surgeon during the influenza epidemic in 1918.

He remained in the army for several years after the war but was retired in 1922. He then served for several years as county physician in Coos county, Oregon, after which he took up work for a time in a physicological laboratory in Los Angeles, Calif. In 1928 he accepted appointment as a physician in the Veterans Bureau and since that time has been a member of the staff in the Veterans Hospital at Palo Alto, Calif., where his death occurred.

He was united in marriage in 1909 with Miss Else Chroge at Mattoon, Wis. Two daughters were born to them, both of whom, with the widow, survive him. The daughters are Mrs. Carl Wachter of Los Angeles, Calif., and Miss Johan, who resides at home in Palo Alto. The family has visited here on several occasions but Dr. Burket's last visit to Hawarden was seven or eight years ago. He is also survived by two brothers, LeRoy K. Burket of Akron and Guy F. Burket of Hawarden.

Funeral services are being held at Palo Alto and interment will be made there.

Source: Hawarden Independent, July 13, 1933.