OBITUARY-Donna G. Burt

Donna G. Burt, of Lincoln, died Sunday, February 16, 2014 at Rivercrest Nursing Home in Concord. She was the beloved wife for 63 years of William “Bill” F. Burt.

A mid-Westerner from New Castle, Indiana, Donna and her family moved frequently during her grade school education years as her father was transferred by his job with General Motors. She settled temporarily and attended schools in Oakland, NJ, Philadelphia, New York City, Avalon, PA, Swissvale, PA, and Glenn Allen, VA, finally completing her high school studies in Shreveport, LA. By then, her dad had enlisted as a major in the Army Air Corps in 1942 where he served at Louisiana’s Barksdale Field. He was later transferred to an advance base in the South Pacific, so on graduation from high School, Donna moved with her mother to Los Angeles. After WWII ended, her dad went back to GM and was assigned to Chevrolet Motor Division in Boston, where she met her future husband.

Then living in Newton, her family joined the Newtonville Methodist Church where Donna sang in the choir. Her future husband’s mother had become close friends with Donna’s mother in the Methodist Women’s Society; one thing led to another and when Donna’s mother mentioned to his mother that Donna had recently broken her engagement to an early suitor, his mother managed to bring Donna’s presence into focus.

Donna had enrolled late in the 1944 -1945 school year at Boston University, majoring in geology in the School of Arts and Science, graduating with her bachelor’s degree in 1949 and a year later with her master’s degree, also in geology. Now, with her future husband in hot pursuit and with the concern over the possibility of his being recalled to active duty in the Navy because of the Korean War, they were married in November of 1950. They first lived in Lexington, MA, where many hours were spent in raising, training and showing Belgian Sheepdogs.

Beginning her professional career, she worked as a research assistant to the head of the Geology Department at MIT, to later become a research assistant to the head of the Geology Department at Harvard. They moved to Lincoln in 1956; Wayne was born in September 1957, followed by Tracie in February 1965 and Leslie in June 1967.

In the 1950’s, she spent a great deal of time being a part of the new Lexington Methodist Church, becoming one of the original 67 people who were dedicated as its first congregation, happily supporting all the dinners and other fund raising activities held to make a financial success of the new church. She was blessed with a beautiful voice and sang in the Lexington church choir. She also sang for many years with the Lexington Choral Society. When she transferred her membership to the Weston United Methodist Church, she became a member of that church’s choir, continuing to participate regularly until her illness forced her to stop many years later.

In the mid-1950’s she was employed by Massachusetts Audubon Society as a visiting expert on nature, carrying the instruction into many fifth and sixth grade classrooms in metropolitan Boston and suburban schools. She thrilled the students with live snakes, woodchucks, turtles, birds of prey and other wildlife, creating her son’s early education in such things at age one as he accompanied his mother in the classrooms. After fourteen years with the Audubon Society, she resigned to give full attention to her growing family, now including two girls. As they entered school she returned to her passion for nature and taught for another eight years.

In 1980, being very gregarious, she decided to change professions and became a real estate broker, passing the test for a broker’s license on the first try, a signature accomplishment in itself. She thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people, seeing many new homes and enjoying a somewhat better income level. She continued as a broker until the late 1990’s when the glimmer of brain difficulties began to manifest themselves.

Donna was one of the happiest people in the world, always finding something to smile and laugh about, even to the distress of her dour husband; she would endlessly break into song with some of the silliest ditties sung to any tune that crossed her mind at that moment and usually attracting any nearby friend to join as a duet. A great many dishes came out of the soapy water to a different tune daily. This trait carried over into gardening which she loved; very likely the weeds as well as the flowers and vegetable enjoyed the tunes.

Donna loved her family, her friends and her church and was proud of them all. She spent endless hours doing things her family either needed or simply wanted, providing valuable support to all school and social activities in which they were involved. A devoted mother and wife, she gave everything she had for their comfort and nurture.

In addition to her husband, Bill, she is survived by a son, Wayne Burt and his wife Debbie of Herndon, VA; a daughter, Tracie Wilkins and her husband Mark of Epping, NH; a daughter, Leslie Bell and her husband Charles of Stow, MA; and seven grandchildren.

Arrangements under the care of DEE FUNERAL HOME OF CONCORD, Susan M. Dee and Charles W. Dee, Jr., Funeral Directors.

To share a remembrance in the online guest book, please visit www.deefuneralhome.com

Memorials:
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter, P. O. Box 96011, Washington, D. C. 20090-6011.

Service:
A Memorial service was held on Monday, February 24th at 1 PM in the Weston United Methodist Church, 377 North Avenue, Weston, MA.


Cemetery:
Private family burial was in Lincoln Cemetery.