1922
Florence
2015
Florence M. Burdick
September 29, 1922 — January 19, 2015
Florence Martha Burdick, 92, died peacefully in her sleep in Harlingen, Texas, on January 19, 2015. Martha, as she was known, was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, George Sawyer Burdick of Hudson, Michigan. The two were married on Sept. 4th, 1941.
Born in Corvallis, Oregon, to college professors, Howard M. Wight, and Charlotte N. Hurd Wight, Martha grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where her father taught of wildlife management at the University of Michigan. She was the middle child among her brothers Ronelle, the oldest, Sam, and her younger brothers, Howard and Murray.
Out of many talents and achievements growing up, Martha took great pride in being on the High School rifle team where she took the top honor for shooting the bulls eye, 10 out of 10 times. She later graduated from Hillsdale College with a liberal arts degree. At Hillsdale she met George Sawyer Burdick, whom she always said was dashing and outgoing. They met often on the dance floor, and we were told they cut quite the figure. Nevertheless, she met her future mother-in-law, Fern Sawyer, while dressed as a witch in a Hillsdale College production of Macbeth. Years later, Martha took classes toward a Master of Fine Arts degree from Siena Heights College in Adrian. In those years you might find her up after dark with jewelry supplies scattered across the kitchen table or silk-screen frames covering the counters. She was clever and fearless in the face of a project; there was nothing she thought she couldn’t do.
After her husband retired from his successful kitchen business, George S. Burdick and Associates, the couple moved to the family farm in Hudson, Michigan. Together they pulled fences, rebuilt barns, and began making the 100-year old farmhouse habitable by 1970’s standards. This would become the gathering place for all their children and grand-children.
Martha was an active lady throughout her adult life. Whether knitting hats and mittens with Grey Ladies during WWII, or knitting or sewing infant’s hats for the local neonatal unit, she always had an art or craft project of some kind going at all times. Martha taught 2nd grade for a few years at Alexander Elementary School in Adrian, Michigan where she raised their family of 5 children. Ultimately she decided her family was certainly enough of a job and became a home-maker extraordinaire. She worked for the Camp Fire Girls organization during the summers where she directed the outdoors program, teaching young girls to identify birds by call, silhouette and flight pattern. She also loved music. She taught her children and any friends who came to the house, to play the baritone ukulele and organized impromptu sing-a-longs with any gathering of three or more. Martha had a beautiful singing voice and would always take the harmony. Even in her later years, she relished a good performance and might be found singing loudly at the top of her lungs, or breaking out into a waltz or jig at the mere hint of a familiar tune.
Most of all, Martha was the definition of “mom.” She would mother everybody: her children, friends of her children, neighborhood children, and adult neighbors. She was accepting of all, and if you moved into to the Burdick realm, you may be handed a paintbrush, a guitar or tambourine, a costume or a script. A friend recalls, “I am so, so grateful to have had her love and spirit in my life. I can see her in my mind's eye at the old house, teaching a rag tag group of girls to play anything with four strings, or rounding up art supplies for painting rocks. What an inspiration she was to so many of us.”
Her life’s motto, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do!” was a command to her children. Lord forgive us if we didn’t try the new food, travel to the far off country, embrace the cultural difference, experience life to the fullest! Ever enthusiastic, she was a positive cheerleader, so excited and grateful toward all. But most of all, she loved listening to her children and grandchildren’s stories, happiest when they surrounded her with love.
Martha is survived by her five children, Mark Burdick, and his wife Carla, of Hobbs, New Mexico; Brenda Burdick, of Ft. Pierce, Florida; Holly Burdick of Greensboro, North Carolina, Robin Buddle, and her husband Mark, of Harlingen, Texas; and Beverly Madison of Orlando, Florida.
She is also survived by grandchildren Francisco Chavez; Shilo Burdick and husband Johnny Lujan (and Shilo’s mother Terry Malady Boehms); Louis and Cody Burdick (and their mother Jana Rein Burdick); Michael Seigneur and wife Erica; Adriana Di Dio-D’Onofrio and husband Massimo, Olivia Di Dio, (and their father, Gino Di Dio); Jesslynn Buddle, Michaela Buddle, Claria Buddle, and Bethany Buddle; and Tyler and Morgan Madison (and their father Pete Madison). Great grand children are Dacia Chavez, Taylor and Peter DeGroot, and Lauren, Lily and Lacey Seigneur. Martha was loved deeply by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Martha is also survived by her oldest brother, Ronell Wight, and his wife Jean Barkley, of Bellingham, Washington.
A memorial service will be held July 22nd at a location in the Hudson/Adrian area to be announced. Memories of Martha may be sent to the family at this site.
Born in Corvallis, Oregon, to college professors, Howard M. Wight, and Charlotte N. Hurd Wight, Martha grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where her father taught of wildlife management at the University of Michigan. She was the middle child among her brothers Ronelle, the oldest, Sam, and her younger brothers, Howard and Murray.
Out of many talents and achievements growing up, Martha took great pride in being on the High School rifle team where she took the top honor for shooting the bulls eye, 10 out of 10 times. She later graduated from Hillsdale College with a liberal arts degree. At Hillsdale she met George Sawyer Burdick, whom she always said was dashing and outgoing. They met often on the dance floor, and we were told they cut quite the figure. Nevertheless, she met her future mother-in-law, Fern Sawyer, while dressed as a witch in a Hillsdale College production of Macbeth. Years later, Martha took classes toward a Master of Fine Arts degree from Siena Heights College in Adrian. In those years you might find her up after dark with jewelry supplies scattered across the kitchen table or silk-screen frames covering the counters. She was clever and fearless in the face of a project; there was nothing she thought she couldn’t do.
After her husband retired from his successful kitchen business, George S. Burdick and Associates, the couple moved to the family farm in Hudson, Michigan. Together they pulled fences, rebuilt barns, and began making the 100-year old farmhouse habitable by 1970’s standards. This would become the gathering place for all their children and grand-children.
Martha was an active lady throughout her adult life. Whether knitting hats and mittens with Grey Ladies during WWII, or knitting or sewing infant’s hats for the local neonatal unit, she always had an art or craft project of some kind going at all times. Martha taught 2nd grade for a few years at Alexander Elementary School in Adrian, Michigan where she raised their family of 5 children. Ultimately she decided her family was certainly enough of a job and became a home-maker extraordinaire. She worked for the Camp Fire Girls organization during the summers where she directed the outdoors program, teaching young girls to identify birds by call, silhouette and flight pattern. She also loved music. She taught her children and any friends who came to the house, to play the baritone ukulele and organized impromptu sing-a-longs with any gathering of three or more. Martha had a beautiful singing voice and would always take the harmony. Even in her later years, she relished a good performance and might be found singing loudly at the top of her lungs, or breaking out into a waltz or jig at the mere hint of a familiar tune.
Most of all, Martha was the definition of “mom.” She would mother everybody: her children, friends of her children, neighborhood children, and adult neighbors. She was accepting of all, and if you moved into to the Burdick realm, you may be handed a paintbrush, a guitar or tambourine, a costume or a script. A friend recalls, “I am so, so grateful to have had her love and spirit in my life. I can see her in my mind's eye at the old house, teaching a rag tag group of girls to play anything with four strings, or rounding up art supplies for painting rocks. What an inspiration she was to so many of us.”
Her life’s motto, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do!” was a command to her children. Lord forgive us if we didn’t try the new food, travel to the far off country, embrace the cultural difference, experience life to the fullest! Ever enthusiastic, she was a positive cheerleader, so excited and grateful toward all. But most of all, she loved listening to her children and grandchildren’s stories, happiest when they surrounded her with love.
Martha is survived by her five children, Mark Burdick, and his wife Carla, of Hobbs, New Mexico; Brenda Burdick, of Ft. Pierce, Florida; Holly Burdick of Greensboro, North Carolina, Robin Buddle, and her husband Mark, of Harlingen, Texas; and Beverly Madison of Orlando, Florida.
She is also survived by grandchildren Francisco Chavez; Shilo Burdick and husband Johnny Lujan (and Shilo’s mother Terry Malady Boehms); Louis and Cody Burdick (and their mother Jana Rein Burdick); Michael Seigneur and wife Erica; Adriana Di Dio-D’Onofrio and husband Massimo, Olivia Di Dio, (and their father, Gino Di Dio); Jesslynn Buddle, Michaela Buddle, Claria Buddle, and Bethany Buddle; and Tyler and Morgan Madison (and their father Pete Madison). Great grand children are Dacia Chavez, Taylor and Peter DeGroot, and Lauren, Lily and Lacey Seigneur. Martha was loved deeply by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Martha is also survived by her oldest brother, Ronell Wight, and his wife Jean Barkley, of Bellingham, Washington.
A memorial service will be held July 22nd at a location in the Hudson/Adrian area to be announced. Memories of Martha may be sent to the family at this site.
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