Violet M. Burns

Funeral services were held July 19 at the St. Louis Catholic Church in Royal for Violet M. Burns, 89, who passed away at her home in Everly on July 27, 2009 surrounded by her daughters after a courageous battle with cancer the past year.

Father Bob Brown officiated. Interment was at Lone Tree Cemetery in Everly.

Violet Maud Burns, the daughter of Hendrik and Johanna (Van Kleef) Kamphuis, was born in rural Sanborn on March 5, 1920. She lived one year near Melvin, but spent her early childhood and young adult life on a farm west of Lake Park overlooking Silver Lake. She received her education in Lake Park, graduating from Lake Park High School with the class of 1937. Following high school, she attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines. After her schooling, she was a flight attendant for TWA (Trans World Airlines) based out of Kansas City, Missouri for four years. She spent a large part of her professional life working at banks in Lake Park, Sioux Falls, Sioux City, Hartley and Everly. Vi worked at the Everly State Bank for eighteen years until her retirement.

Violet married Donald (Buck) Burns on Jan. 3, 1952 in Sanborn. Vi lived near Hartley, until moving north of Everly in 1955, where she and her husband engaged in farming throughout their married life. She enjoyed traveling, golfing, bowling, following the activities of her children and grandchildren, socializing with friends and family, spending time on her farms near Lake Park and north of Everly. Vi will be remembered by friends and family as being an incredibly kind, optimistic person who loved life and enjoyed visiting with the people she met in her community and related activities. Her warm friendly smile and personality touched the lives of many people.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Donald in 1980.

Left with many loving memories are three daughters: MaryAnn Miller and her husband Duane of Storm Lake, Patricia Webb of Fargo, N.D. and Janet Dehrkoop of rural Everly and her special friend, Ron Hegel of Spencer; five grandsons: Mike Dehrkoop and his wife Vicki, Matt Dehrkoop and his wife Sarah, Brady Miller, Brett Miller and Brendan Miller; three great granddaughters: Isabel, Gracie Mae and Michaela Dehrkoop; cousins: Alan Kamphuis of Ankeny and Carol Braddock of Iowa City; sister-in-law, Mary Negus of Okoboji; other relatives and many friends including family members in the Netherlands.

Warner Funeral Home of Spencer was in charge of arrangements.