NIELSEN, Edna Jean

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ March 6, 2009 Edna Jean Burke Nielsen died in Mesa Feb. 27, 2009. She was born in Globe March 6, 1934. She raised her family in Lake Havasu City and Mesa as a dedicated wife and mother. She moved to Ruidoso, N.M., in November 2001. She was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she happily served in every auxiliary. She was a woman who loved everyone and in turn, was loved by all. She enjoyed cooking for others and served her family tirelessly. She was very talented and you could always find her with a song on her lips and a smile on her face. She was an amateur photographer and loved taking photos of family and wildlife. Jean is survived by her sons, Sammie (Tim) Haley of Pinetop-Lakeside and Leslie (Sharon) Nielsen of Ruidoso, N.M. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Michael Bird and Elizabeth Kemp of California, Cynamon Bird and Raymond Bird of Utah; Anaya Nielsen and Jacob Carter, Gilbert,AZ, Cole Nielsen and Maxine Lake, Chandler, and Alyx and Ryon Duncan of Carlsbad, N.M.; four great-granchildren, Cameron Carter, Lucas Nielsen, Ryley and Zakary Duncan. Other living family includes her brother, Mont Burke of Tempe; sisters Rochelle Stock of Farmington N.M., Helen Masterson of Pinetop-Lakeside and Cherilyn Meyer of Tempe. She was preceded in death by her parents, Montez and James LeRoy Burke; husband Wilbur F. Nielsen; sisters Joyce Cagle and Carma Manon Dalton; brothers Thomas L. Burke, H. Trent Burke and G. Wesley Burke. A viewing will be held at Burnham Mortuary, 20 S. Washington, in St. Johns Friday, March 6, from 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 7, at noon at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Downtown Chapel with a viewing at 11 a.m. Burnham Mortuary of St. Johns handled arrangements. Send condolences to the family at burnhammortuary.com.