Elizabeth Burnham
KINGS MOUNTAIN - Mrs. Elizabeth "Ba" Burnham, 93, passed away peacefully the morning of Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010.
She had battled Parkinson's and dementia for many years. Elizabeth was born in Mexia, Texas, on Oct. 29, 1916. Her parents were Edward Lawrence and Kathleen Corley Howard. She grew up on a farm between Dallas and Fort Worth. Exceptionally bright, she graduated from high school at 14 and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas at the age of 16. She was married to John Burnham for 29 years and raised six children.
Elizabeth Burnham volunteered and participated in activities at the Kings Mountain Patrick Senior Center for many years. She performed with the Patrick Senior Center Choir in many concerts in the Kings Mountain area. She participated in exercise classes and was a regular at lunch. An avid fan of classical music, she attended concerts in the Carolinas, as well as Indiana, Washington and New York. As Parkinson's took away her ability to walk or talk much, her friends were inspired by her inextinguishable enthusiasm for life that she would display by smiling and waving greetings to all.
She is survived by her six children, Edward L. of Portland, Ore., William of Ann Arbor, Mich., John T. of Bloomington, Ind., James of Oak Ridge, Tenn., Elizabeth of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Helen Hatch of Kings Mountain; nine grandchildren, Melissa Thomas of Atlanta, Ga., Emily of Decatur, Ga., Margaret Head of Bloomington, Ind., Jonas of Knoxville, Tenn., Chelsea, Alana and Alexis of Oak Ridge; and seven great-grandchildren, Mathew and John Burnham and Elizabeth and Christopher Gavel of Atlanta, Ga., and Samantha, Nichole and Andrea Head of Bloomington, Ind.
A celebration of Elizabeth's life will be held at the Patrick Senior on Monday, March 1 at 10:30 a.m., in the Choir room.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Patrick Senior Center of Kings Mountain, 704-734-0447
Funeral home: Harris Funeral Home
Online guest registry: www.harrisfunerals.com