Obituary of Jeanette Burford

Jeanette “Pat” Burford Born Jeanette Yvonne Wilkinson in Trion, Georgia, August 3, 1938 to Walter Lee Wilkinson and Sue Delores (Finster) Wilkinson. She was nicknamed Patsy as a child which was later shortened to Pat. She lived in Southern California for 24 years and the remainder of her 48 years of marriage in Olympia, Washington. She graduated from High School in Valley Head, Alabama in 1955 and graduated Barstow College with an AS in Math and then graduated with BA from Evergreen State College. Pat was a public school bus driver, a secretary and a teacher in Christian Schools for several years. She worked the Adult Literacy Program at Clover Park Technical College and was the Adult Literacy Director before transferring to Special Needs Department. She worked for one of the largest lobbyist groups in Washington State before retiring. She loved quilting, square and round dancing, and working out at the YMCA. In 1997 it was discovered that she had breast cancer. After surgery, radiation and five years of medication she was considered cancer free. In February 2004 she was then diagnosed with terminal bone cancer. Pat is survived by her husband, Allan; two daughters, June Victoria Louis of Wildomar, California and Diana Sykes of Oregon City, Oregon; one son, Michael Burford of Ramona, California; two stepdaughters, Debra Davis of Yreka, California and Rebecca Thaler of Santa Barbara, California; one stepson, Gordon Burford of Tucson, Arizona; three sisters, Marguerite Battle, Peggy Gray, and Emily Wooten; one brother, Robert Wilkinson. Pat was also blessed with 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held 1:00 p.m., Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 455 North St. SE, Tumwater.