Shirley June Burdick

SHIRLEY JUNE BURDICK, age 88 of Waseca, died Saturday, December 7, 2024, at Foxdale Assisted Living Facility in Waseca, MN, surrounded by her family.

She was born on June 28, 1936, in Morristown, MN to Christian and Mabel (Dartt) Gasner. On December 15, 1957, she married Claude LeRoy Burdick at the Owatonna United Methodist Church. She became a proud U.S. Army military wife, and moved the family 21 times before Claude was honorably discharged in 1976. The family settled in Waseca, but two months later, Shirley unexpectantly became a widow and a single mother of five children, ranging from age 10 to 18. Shirley said, “We can’t always have life the way we want. Life takes patience,” as she continued to work through the challenges of raising her kids alone, blessed with the loving support of her siblings. She took a job at the Waseca Public Library as a circulation clerk. Soon after, she was asked to lead the library’s 4-year-old weekly story time. This expanded to eight story times a week, each with 15-20 kids. While employed at the library, Shirley earned her associate’s degree in early Childcare Development from the University of Minnesota–Waseca. She used her degree and her love of children to develop, from the ground up, an extended day program for school-aged children at elementary schools in Waseca. Her program grew incrementally over the next 13 years. She then retired and filled the volunteer District Officer position with the Faith United Methodist SE District, traveling to attend meetings in the SE MN region.

Shirley remained determined, enthusiastic, empathetic, and busy her entire life: an active member of Faith United Methodist Church, choir member, Solo’s club member and officer, honorary member of the VFW, tourist, photographer, crafter, painter, author, and poet. She was a free spirit, fearlessly trying new things, undaunted by worries that her results may be less than perfect. Sometimes collaborating with friends, she published several books overflowing with photos, poems, and witty banter.

She is survived by her children, Barbara Seay of Colorado Springs, CO, Deb (Jim) Heine of Stillwell, KS, Carol (Al) Burdick-Nelson of Hill point, WI, Mary (Tom) Burdick-Lynch of Cold Spring, Barry (Ann) Burdick of Montrose; grandchildren, Michael, Steven, Matthew, Jessica, Nik, Ryan, Andrew, Joshua, Kali, Sarah, Jacob; great-grandchildren, Elijah, Isaiah, Peter, Anna, Sadie, Casen, Aven, Brinley, Kinsley, Liam, and Vivian; sister, Carol Karsten. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her siblings, Leslie, Margaret, Dorothy, Christ Jr., Duane, JoAnn, Robert, Russell, and Vernon. 

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 2:00 PM at Faith United Methodist Church in Waseca. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca. Memorials are preferred to Faith United Methodist Church - Waseca.

The family would like to thank the staff at Foxdale, St. Croix Hospice, and Colony Court for their kind, compassionate, and respectful care of our mother.