Joanne M Burgeson

JoAnne Madlyn Burgeson, 88 years of age, of Holdrege, Nebraska, passed away on Friday, June 19, 2015 at the Christian Homes Care Community in Holdrege.  JoAnne was born May 13, 1927 in Holdrege, the youngest of four daughters born to Charley and Hilda (Johnson) Borklund.  JoAnne received her primary education from Roosevelt Elementary in Holdrege and later graduated from Holdrege High School with the class of 1945.

On November 5, 1950 she was united in marriage to John D. Burgeson at Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege.  To this union two children were born:  Steve and Linda.

In her early working years, JoAnne was employed at the Prisoner of War Camp at Atlanta, Nebraska.  In the1940s, while living with her sister, Jean in San Francisco, California, JoAnne worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.  She moved back home and was employed with the Phelps County Creamery.  She then worked for the Holdrege Chamber of Commerce and later took a position with the First Presbyterian Church in Holdrege, as their secretary.  JoAnne was the first secretary at the new Senior Citizen Center, when it opened in 1974.  She later retired at age 72.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Holdrege, the Secretary and Treasurer of the American Legion Auxiliary, a past Board Member of the Phelps County Senior Citizen Center and was a member of  JUN (Just Us Nuts) Club, with several beloved classmates and friends.

She enjoyed word puzzles, reading, watching movies and Husker football.  In her later years, she enjoyed traveling with her sister, Jean.

JoAnne was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John in 1989; three sisters and their husbands:  Leona Smith, Harriet McRoberts and Jean Magnuson and great-grandson, Alex Ben Christensen.

She leaves to mourn her passing, her children:  Steve Burgeson and Linda Reiser and her husband, Bill, all of Holdrege; two grandchildren:  Tara Christensen and friend, Robert Horning of Phoenix, Arizona and Captain Tyler Christensen and his wife, Stacie of Alamogordo, New Mexico; three step-grandchildren:  Shelli Davenport and her husband, Brian of Phoenix, Melanie Van Vleet and her husband, Kyle of Rapid City, South Dakota and Jody Hutsell and her husband, Mark of Kearney, Nebraska; great-grandchildren:  Eli and Isaac Christensen, Ryne and Brody Davenport, Caleb and Andrew Van Vleet and Liam and Blakely Hutsell; sister-in-law, Shirley Burgeson of Holdrege;  along with many nieces, nephews, extended family and many friends.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2015 from the 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in JoAnne's honor and kindly suggested to the First Presbyterian Church or the Senior Citizen Center, both of Holdrege.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.