Obituary of Mary Cecilia Burkemper

A Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Cecilia Burkemper of Old Monroe, MO will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church near Old Monroe. Fr. Michael Lampe, pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church will officiate with burial in the church cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Logan Crossfield, Triston Gibbons, Trenton Pitman, Carter Patton, Wyatt Bruns, Tanner Patton and Dominic Ohlms. Mary, 88, passed away Monday, February 19, 2024. Born April 30, 1935 in Old Monroe she was the daughter of Diederich Aloysius and Adele Marie Gnade Anthony. Mary began working at the age of 16 as a Nanny for Dr. Crider in St. Charles, MO, caring for a developmentally challenged boy. This was her reason for assisting in founding the Lincoln County Sheltered Workshop, where she served as President and Board Member. Mary was united in marriage on September 10, 1955 in Old Monroe to Vernon William Burkemper. This union was blessed with five children: Howard, Matthew, Christina, Amy and Rebecca. Mary was a 5 term alderwoman of the City of Old Monroe, focusing on building levies and the sewer treatment plant. She enjoyed playing BINGO with KWRE Radio. She was a longtime member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Diederich and Adele Anthony; four brothers: John Anthony, Paul Anthony, Richard Anthony and an infant; three sisters: Teresa Travers, Doris Harrison and Sister Jane Anthony; three brothers-in-law: John Heitman, Don Harrison and Jerry Burkemper; a niece, Debra Heitman; a nephew, David Heitman; and her beloved husband of nearly 63 years, Vernon Burkemper, who died on September 3, 2018. Survivors include their children: Howard Burkemper of St. Charles, MO, Matthew Burkemper and his wife, Shannon, of Elsberry, MO, Tina Sturm and her husband, Keith, of Winfield, MO, Amy Schwent and her husband, Jerry, of Old Monroe and Becky Crossfield and her husband, Jeff, of Old Monroe; ten grandchildren: Jessica Hawkins, Jennifer Patton, Melissa Pitman, Deanna Ohlms, Angela Menne, Ellyse Lee, Kayla Schwent, and Megan Crossfield, Marisa Osborne and Logan Crossfield; and seventeen great-grandchildren: Triston, Wyatt, Dean, Carter, Tanner, Cooper, Asher, Trenton, Macy, Zander, Dominic, Ella, Devin, Isabella, Christopher, Anna and Maverick. Mary also leaves one sister: Rose Ann Heitman of Moscow Mills, MO; one sister-in-law, Lavada Anthony of Winfield; one brother-in-law, Larry Travers of Spartanburg, SC; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 23, 2024 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home near Winfield; and again from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Immaculate Conception. Memorials may be made to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (or) Sisters of St. Francis in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 3838 East Highway 47, P.O. Box 253, Winfield, MO 63389.