Beverly Burnham

Funeral services for Beverly Burnham, were held on Friday, April 1, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. at the Winner United Methodist Church in Winner, SD.

Burial was in the Winner City Cemetery. Mason Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Beverly was born February 23, 1928, at her home in Royal, NE, to Frank and Harriet Francisco. She was the youngest of three children. Bev and her brothers played musical instruments and performed locally as they grew up. She graduated from Wayne High School in 1945. Bev and her mom went to college together that fall to get their teaching certificates. When in high school, she met Robert Burnham from Sholes, NE. They were married June 6, 1947. She got her first teaching job in Maxwell, NE, in 1947. In 1948, the couple moved to Millboro, SD, and worked for a local rancher. She taught in a rural school from 1948 until 1960.

To this union, three children were born: Brian, Bonnie, and Bretta. They enjoyed their farm, raising kids and livestock. Bev was active in her community and in 4-H Extension clubs, joining Eastern Star in 1972 where she received her 50-year pin in 2022.

In 1974, Robert passed away suddenly, leaving her with three children and a dairy to care for. She won many awards with their dairy. In 1994, they sold the dairy cows. After selling the cows, she dedicated her time to 4-H and Extension where she wrote for many grants for improvements on the fairgrounds. She played piano for the Millboro Church for many years. In her spare time, she started making quilts for all the grandkids. She also enjoyed embroidering, and baking chocolate chip cookies, and homemade chocolate cakes. In 2008, she won the Eminent Homemaker of the Year award from SDSU. In 2014, she moved off the family farm into Winner, first staying at Lamro Apartments, then Elder Inn, and lastly the Avera Rosebud Country Care Center in Gregory.

Beverly Lou Burnham, age 94, of Winner, SD, passed away on Friday, March 25, 2022, at the Avera Gregory Hospital in Gregory, SD.

She is survived by her three children: Brian and Joan (Hofeldt) Burnham of Winner, SD, Bonnie and Digger Rutten of Colome, SD, and Bretta and Brad Watzel of Winner, SD; sister-in-law Nell Burnham, Columbus, NE; sister-in-law Flo Ann Sandahl, Longmont, CO; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.