Frances “Fran” Evelyn Burdick, 95, died peacefully on March 31, 2023 at Salina Regional Health Center. Frances was born in 1927 to Theodore and Mildred Hartenstein in Kipp, Kansas. She was the big sister to four younger brothers. Her family eventually moved to Dickinson County where she graduated from Chapman High School in what was called “Normal Training” in 1945. This training qualified her to teach grade school for two years immediately upon graduation from high school. In 1946-1947, she taught grades 1 through 8 in a one room school house in the Talmage and Willowdale communities.
In 1945 after knowing Jack Burdick most of her life through mutual friends and 4-H, they became interested in each other when he joined the Navy and left the community for training. As many couples did during that time, their love grew through writing letters to each other. After a year and a half of “letter courting”, they became engaged and were married in 1947. They lived with Jack’s parents for a short time to help them farm. Desiring to have a farm of their own, Frances and Jack moved near Talmage, Kansas and established themselves in the community. While living near Talmage, they had three children Jeff, Susan, and Jan. They were active members of Talmage Methodist Church.
After 20 years of farming, Jack went into the construction profession which took them away from Dickinson County and to many small towns throughout Kansas and Nebraska. Eventually that profession brought them to Salina. Fran was always enthusiastic about living in new towns, helping her children to adjust to new teachers and friends, and getting involved with the local Methodist church. She was a woman of many talents and loved to create new things; she sewed clothes for her daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters, even prom dresses and wedding dresses. She quilted blankets, knitted scarves and hats, crocheted baby blankets, made dolls and doll clothes-often times without a pattern for guidance. She also made Care Bears and Cabbage Patch dolls for her granddaughters.
Through the years Fran enjoyed singing in choirs, attending Bible study groups, photographing clouds and trees, and bird watching. She kept in touch with friends through cards, letters, phone calls and visits. She would stop whatever she was doing and give her full attention when an unplanned visitor arrived at her home. She was very proud that two great-granddaughters were named after her, Frannie and Evi. She’ll be remembered as a devoted wife and mother, and inspiration to her grandchildren, and a prayer warrior to her friends and family.
In 2022, Frances moved to Holiday Resort where she created her own little apartment with her favorite pictures on the walls and shelves. Jeff put a bird feeder outside her window so she could continue one of her favorite past times. Despite shattering her elbow from a recent fall, she continued to crochet baby blankets, to color, and was learning how to write with her left hand.
Frances is survived by “her” girls, Susan Brummett, of Lawrence, Kansas, and Jan Denney, of Foley, Alabama, 6 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Other survivors include her younger brothers Gene and Wilbur. She was preceded in death by her husband Jack of 53 years, her son Jeff, and brothers Ted and Bobby.
A Memorial Service is planned for June 30, 2023 10 a.m. at University United Methodist Church, 1509 S. Santa Fe, Salina. Burial will be at the Abilene Cemetery at 2 p.m. Memorial gifts can be made to the Salina Food Bank or to the United Methodist Church in care of Ryan Mortuary, 137 S, 8th Street, Salina.