Beverly Lou Burnham, 94

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

Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 1, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Winner United Methodist Church in Winner, SD. Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6-7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at the Winner United Methodist Church in Winner, SD.

  Beverly was born Feb. 23, 1928, at her home in Royal, Neb. 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 teacher’s certificate. When in high school, she met the love of her life Robert Burnham from Sholes, Neb. They were married June 6, 1947. She got her first teaching job in Maxwell, Neb. in 1947. In 1948, the couple moved to Millboro, South Dakota 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 were very happy on their farm, raising kids and livestock. She was very active in her community and in 4-H, extension clubs and joined 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 loved to embroider, make chocolate chip cookies, and bake the best 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 nursing home in Gregory where she received wonderful care.

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