- Date Of Birth: March 2, 1929
- Date Of Death: May 18, 2013
- State: Indiana
Virginia A. “Ginny” Burkhead, 84, peacefully passed away Saturday, May 18, 2013, at Elkhart General Hospital, where she had been a patient since Mother’s Day.
Ginny was born March 2, 1929, in Elkhart to Herbert and Katherine (Dibbert) Schuelke. She married Robert “Bob” Burkhead on June 25, 1950, and spent the last 58 years in the home lovingly built by Bob and Herb.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Richard Shuelke; and her husband, Bob, who passed away Dec. 7, 2012.
Surviving are her daughter, Pam (Clark) Romine of Washington; three sons, Chris (Anita) Burkhead of Kokomo, Tim (Marcy) Stemm of California and Greg Stemm of Elkhart; four grandchildren, Karen Youngs (fiancé, Romeo Garcia), Kim Romine, Amanda (Trent) Rhoades and Zack Burkhead; five great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Lon Schuelke; several favorite first cousins and their families; and several nieces and nephews.
Ginny attended Elkhart High School and enjoyed working on and participating in many class reunions.
In today’s world she would be known as one of the finest domestic engineers with many years of culinary, dishwashing and laundry experience! Famous for her baked beans, potato salad, butter cookies, minced meat pies and red velvet cake as well as her mac-n-cheese, she passes on many favorite recipes! For many years she enjoyed gardening, still played pinochle once a month and loved a trip to “The Boat” to gamble. Her family and grandkids were always her pride and joy and she looked forward to letters, phone calls and visits.
Special thanks to those dear friends and family members who continued to check on her and help her through the tough five months since Dad’s passing. As her world grew smaller and she became more fragile, it was those little things that mattered most. For those who knew her best, she liked having the last word and as she requested many years ago, when you sing or hear Frank Sinatra’s version of “(I did it) My Way”, think of her and smile! She did it her way! As Helen Keller wrote: “What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” Together again, Mom and Dad you are a part of all who knew and loved you.
