Evelyn R. Burson

Evelyn Roberta (Smith) Burson, 99, of Paola, Kansas died April 17, 2018 at North Point Nursing Home, where she had been recovering from a recent fall and heart attack. Evelyn was the only child born to Claude Ivan Smith and Ethel Mae (Worthington) Smith at their home in the North Wea Creek Valley, west of Louisburg, Kansas, February 1, 1919. She lived in Wea until she was six years old, then moved to Dighton, Kansas with her parents to farm the land. They stayed in western Kansas through Evelyn’s grade school years. She came back east to attend high school in Bucyrus Kansas, graduating in 1938. Evelyn worked as a nanny after high school, and at Hallmark sorting and boxing cards in the 40s. During World War II she worked at Sunflower Ammunition Plant in Desoto, Kansas. She also waitressed at Union Station in Kansas City and at a bus stop in Louisburg where she met her husband to be, Willie “Bill” Earl Burson. He and his friends stopped there often after their shift to have coffee and cherry pie, giving Evelyn the nickname “Smitty”. Evelyn and Bill were married on October 20, 1945. They were married for 32 years before Bill died in 1977. Evelyn and Bill had their only child William “Bill” Dale Burson on August 23, 1946. While living in Paola, Evelyn was a homemaker, and in the 1960s she started a job at the Miami County Medical Center in the administration office. She made many lifelong friends there, retiring in 1985. After she retired she volunteered many hours at the Paola Presbyterian Church, in the thrift shop. She also enjoyed spending time with her three grandchildren, Stacy Catherine (Burson) Rasmussen, Michael William Burson, and Barry Bernard Burson. Many weekends were spent together with Grandma Evelyn hosting sleepovers on the living room floor and making special treats. She loved simple things, butterflies, being outdoors, flowers, windsocks, root beer floats, and strawberry daiquiris. Evelyn learned how to cook from her mother and became famous within her family for her fried chicken, red cinnamon pickles, and peanut butter balls. She was kind hearted, quick to joke and laugh, never met a stranger, and always had a tissue up her sleeve. Evelyn was as strong-willed as they come, living independently until she was 99. She will be greatly missed. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, husband, and daughter-in-law, Cathy Burson. Evelyn is survived by her son, Bill Burson of Paola; grandchildren Stacy and Eric Rasmussen of Kansas City, Kansas; Mike and Staci (Matthews) Burson of Lenexa, KS; Barry and Taylor (Kultala) Burson of Shawnee, KS; great grandchildren Lane, Claire, Emma (Barry), and Eliza Burson (Mike). In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to Paola Meals on Wheels or Lighthouse Presbyterian Church. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on Evelyn's Tribute Wall.