William Burk

William Fredrick Burk, 74, a resident of Grants, NM, since 1984, graduated from mortality on December 14, 2018



in the Hospice of the Valley Care Center in Glendale, Arizona. He was born on December 6, 1944 in Eagar, Arizona,



into a family of 7 children and they were all boys, except 6 of them. Their parents are William Henry Burk and Launa Hulsey.



He attended school his entire life in Springerville, Arizona and graduated from Round Valley High School, in Eagar Arizona, in 1963.



During his lifetime he worked helping his father on family farms and cattle ranches; he worked at a local saw mill, and then



he enlisted in the US Navy. He worked for the US Forest Service, and was hired as a deputy by the Apache County Sheriff's



Department. He was then hired by the Arizona State Highway Department.



He moved to Gallup and worked for Fuh's Trucking and Carbon Coal.



He then moved to Grants where he worked at the Lee Ranch Mine for 26 years, and retired in 2010, as a dragline oiler-operator.



He met the love of his life, Jerri Patterson, in Grants and they were happily married for 28 years, their marriage being solemnized



for time and all eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, on December 15, 1990.



Bill loved and worshipped the Savior Jesus Christ and he spent many hours serving Him.



He was a giant of a man and had a deep voice; he loved to sing and was a master story teller. He loved to tease and was



quite a jokester. He wrote many love poems and songs to his wife. He loved to sing them for people, in public or private settings,



he really didn't care. Some of his songs have been copyrighted. He gave the best bear hugs and had a hearty laugh.



He loved fishing and gardening and the White Mountains of Arizona. During all his growing up years, he was called "Freddie"



after his Dad's little brother Fred who died as a hero in WWII. Later, when he moved to Grants he preferred to be called "Bill",



like his father, who he admired and adored.







He is survived by his loving wife, Jerri Lynn Burk, three daughters Lauri ( William) Griner of Grants, and Patrice (Jerry) Rush



of Phoenix, Arizona , and Gayla Connelly, in Kentucky, Two sons also survive; Sheldon H Burk, of Plato Missouri and James ( Penny) Wharton,



of Bosque Farms, New Mexico. He has four surviving sisters ; Myrna ( Richard) Udall of Eagar, Arizona, Marilyn (Ron) Cole of Eagar, Arizona, Glenda Burk of Beaverton , Oregon and Beverly (Jerry) Campeau of Springerville, Arizona.







He was preceded in death by his parents, and two sisters, Charlene Alexander of Spokane, Washington and Pamela Ghormley,



of Safford, Arizona. He leaves 8 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. He leaves many nephews, nieces and cousins that



he so loves dearly.







Pallbearers will be: James Wharton, Jerry Rush, Steven Rush, Jared Rush, Frank Hasty, and DA Evans.



Honorary pallbearers will be: ALL the brethren in the Gallup New Mexico Stake in



The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: and



Sheldon Burk Roscoe Nelson Edgar Lawson Terry Chapman



Gordon Grado Jerry Campeau Seth Meier Paul Burch



Robert McDonald Jr. Roger Pablo Brent Boyter Brent Stoneking



John Hazlewood William Ghormley Phillip Danzl DJ Shafer



Jimmy Taylor Richard Udall Roger Siegmann Gary Patterson



Dave Tucker Ron Cole Art Lee T Bone Talley



Mike McInnes Daeton Shafer Pat Spurlock Richard McNeill



Donald Hall Jacob Shafer Patrick Patterson