Elaine Burkey, 100 years old, moved to her final home on Nov. 5, 2026.
Kathryn Elaine was born Sept. 15,1926, to Philip, 1900-1996, and Verna (Stutzman) Stauffer, 1904-2005. She had one brother, Cleve, 1924-2008, and one sister, Imogene Hostetler, 1928-2022.
Elaine married Willius Burkey, on Mar 14, 1944, in her parents home, rural Milford. Elaine lived in a total of 14 homes from birth until death. After her marriage to Willius, they lived with John Yeackley for a while. Then in 1945, her and Willius moved to “Grandpa Burkey’s 80”, then on to the Cordova/Friend area. While living in Cordova, they welcomed their first son, Fred and their second son, Dan. When Dan was around 1 year old, they got the luxury of electricity.
In 1952, they moved to the farm house in rural Beaver Crossing, and welcomed their third and fourth children, daughters Sara and Mary Ann. In the fall/winter of 1960, the family moved to Arizona in hopes that the drier climate would help Willius feel better. The first few months they lived in the Young Apartments in Sunnyslope, and then in 1961 they moved into a small house on “7ᵗʰ Place” also in Sunnyslope. In 1963 they bought a house on State Ave in Phoenix and lived there for two years.
In 1965, they sold that house and bought a house on Orangewood Ave, Phoenix, where they lived until 1970. The boys were married and were living in Nebraska, and Willius wanted to move back to Nebraska to help care for his aging parents. In 1972, after his parents had passed on, Willius, Elaine, Sara and Mary Ann moved back to Arizona. The first few months, they lived in a 27’ travel trailer in Glendale, Arizona, while looking for a permanent house. After purchasing the Ash Court in 1973, they moved there, where Elaine was kept busy getting all the cottages and trailer rentals ready for the winter snowbirds.
When visitors would crowd into her kitchen while she was trying to cook for her own family plus meet the needs of the winter visitors, she would often comment, “How did everyone end up in my kitchen?!” Then we would laugh. In 1988, they sold the Ash Court and moved to Wickenburg, Arizona, to retire, taking Elaine’s aging parents with them, where they lived in their own private little house behind Willius’ house. Elaine’s parents moved back to Nebraska, and Philip passed away.
In 1999, Willius and Elaine moved back to Nebraska, where Elaine, with Mary’s help, continued to care for Willius, who was suffering from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s until his death. Elaine’s mother also lived with them during some of these care-filled years. All of these homes, Elaine maintained very skillfully, helped neighbors, was known for her “green thumb,” and good cooking and baking. Some of the family's favorite meals were her fried chicken with knepp or homemade noodles, and at Christmas time, Creme Wafer Cookies.
Mary taught her how to crochet, and although not as skilled as Mary, she crocheted several afghans. Around the time of Mary’s death in May 2026, Elaine moved into Greene Senior Assisted Living, Seward, where she was lovingly given quality care from the staff, all the workers, and later HoriSun Hospice. Although this last move was a very difficult one, she appreciated every visitor, family and friends and church family who came faithfully to spend a bit of their day with Elaine.
She always enjoyed the company even though she didn’t always remember that she had company. She enjoyed going for walks with her niece, Karen Burkey, and with her grandson, Barry and Lisa Burkey, or just walking out in the courtyard looking at the flowers with whoever was around. She liked her cup of coffee with meals and snacks. She enjoyed her flowers, yard work, reading, doing jigsaw puzzles and word searches as long as her eyesight allowed.
Surviving Elaine are Dan and Linda (Roth) Parker, Colorado, Sara and Galen Yoder, Mylo, North Dakota, Bonnie Burkey, Wahoo, Lennice Longstein, St. Joseph, Missouri; 10 grandchildren, Bruce and Barb Burkey, Wahoo, Anita and Steve Spencer, Sheridan, Indiana, Barry and Lisa Burkey, Milford, Bryan and Shelly Burkey, Parker, Briana Satterfield, Parker, Jalen and Tracy Yoder, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Dylan Yoder, York, North Dakota, Jeana Brossart, Devils Lake, North Dakota, Lisa and Frans van Graan, Wolford, North Dakota, Rylan and Beth Yoder, Mylo, North Dakota; 21 great-grandchildren, Tara Burkey, Wahoo, Travis Burkey, Wahoo,Amanda and Mehrdad Erfan, Carmel, Indiana, Joel Spencer, Sheridan, Caleb Burkey, Lincoln, Josh Burkey, Lincoln, Brandon and Jack Burkey, Parker, Colorado, Hannah Satterfield, Parker, Chase and Riley Yoder, Colorado Springs, James, Wesley and Wyatt Brossart, Devils Lake, Aiden, Mila and Zoey van Graan, Wolford, North Dakota, Easton, Cassian, Kinley and Olivia Yoder, Mylo; three great-great-grandchildren, Faylene, Lylah, and Cali Straley, Sheridan, and many other relatives, friends and church family who Elaine touched during her lifetime.
Elaine was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Cleve Stauffer; and sister, Imogene Hostetler; and husband, Willius. She also endured the grieving loss of her oldest child, Fred, 1946-2002, and youngest child, Mary, 1960-2026; two great-great grandchildren, Baby Burkey, Wahoo, and Jemma van Graan, Wolford.
Dan and Sara and their families would like to take this opportunity to say a big heart felt thank you to all those who participated especially in the later months of Elaine’s life. Visiting her, taking her flowers, sharing desserts with her, eating in the dining room with her, seeing to her needs that we, being out of state, could not readily supply. It all was a tremendous blessing to Mom as well as to us. We all felt the love you showered on her in various ways and in abundance! May you be blessed by the God we serve!
Visitation will be from 4 - 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Lauber Funeral Home in Milford. There will be a private family graveside service at the West Fairview Mennonite Church Cemetery on Monday, Nov. 9. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Greene Senior Living assisted living facility in Seward.
Arrangements by Lauber Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Milford.
