Arlene Burkhard

Arlene Burkhard, of Grand Junction, Colorado, creator and glue of our family, died December 15th, 2021 at the age of 85. “Mom,” “Mumsie,” and “Grandma” will be remembered by her family with deep gratitude for her endless patience, kindness, and incredible skill with her hands.

Arlene joined the world at Mercy Hospital in Denver, the first child of Burton and Min Adams, delivered by Dr. Harold B. Henderson. Arlene’s parents shared their love of music, nature, and learning with their girls, raising them to be hard-working, motivated, and capable. Born during the Great Depression, she learned the importance of being resourceful, persevering, and helpful to those around her, but most of all that with a little creativity and work, we all have within us the ability to make the world a better place.

The Adams’ home was filled with music. Growing up, Arlene and her sisters enjoyed listening to their father play the banjo, trombone, and ukulele. Arlene learned to play the accordion as a child and her appreciation of music carried her through her life even until her final days, joining her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in song while approaching death. She especially loved singing Neil Diamond, but didn’t care for “yelly-screetchy” music like Led Zeppelin.

In 1954, Arlene graduated from East High School in Denver, where once during a sewing class, she made a stitch right through her finger. Despite the painful mistake, Arlene was committed to creating. She learned how to sew from her mother, a talented seamstress who could see a dress in a store window and reproduce it without a pattern. As impressive as that was, Arlene surpassed her mother’s skill with a needle; she could do the same but do it overnight. Over the decades, Arlene’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and honorary children would receive cherished, handmade gifts for holidays, birthdays, and often “just because.” If you said your ears got cold, you’d get a customized hat with tailless weasels, because not only did she want to keep you warm but she wanted you to have fun, too. She made matching outfits for her daughter Lyn and her best friend Shayn, personalized ornaments for her grandchildren, and crocheted “Grandma” and “Grandpa” shaped blankets to give for Christmas gifts. She was the original Etsy! Her ability and motivation to show her love through craft was nothing short of incredible, only outshone by the ways she made everything uniquely for you.

Spanning beyond the domestic realm of women of her time, Arlene jumped in to help with any job that needed doing. She was never afraid to pick up a hammer or saw, help fix a broken motor, or get dirty while helping. After high school, Arlene’s parents built, owned and operated Sunrise Harbor on Shadow Mountain Lake in Grand County. Just weeks after giving birth to her first child, Arlene was “up the lake” with her family, helping her parents build the cabins, sleeping in a tent with her new baby and husband Walt. Never squeamish, Arlene dove into work that needed doing, no matter how miserable, with determination and without ever a complaint. She set an example for those who knew her; to be helpful, kind, hard-working and patient.

Arlene married Walt Burkhard in 1955, and together over the years they raised four boys and one daughter, a menagerie of livestock, two crows, countless dogs, and at least 30 alpacas. Arlene cared for everyone who came into her life like they were her own, regardless of the circumstances. She managed to produce meals for her crew on a dime, creative with her cooking and never allowing a meal to go to waste. Her repertoire ran the gamut from world cuisine (lumpia!) to economical (turkey accidentally drowned in the pool, with essence of chlorine) to family favorites like trout and elk. Later, Arlene would lend her assistance to her kids at the pig roasts, picking the roast pig of meat with surgical precision and speed. Her success in vegetable and flower gardening was notable, as was her industriousness.  Her canning and prep would carry on long past dark in the kitchen while she would watch her favorite soap operas on VHS recorded earlier in the day. Arlene’s pantry was never bare and raised more than a few eyebrows, but you could count on her to pull everyone together for a satisfying feast. Her grandchildren appreciated her addiction to ice cream and would seldom go without sharing a treat with her when visiting.

Those who knew Arlene will never forget her many skills, but beyond those, her endless patience and kindness. She was never mean, careless, or selfish, never boastful or vain, never wasted time on complaints or gossip. No matter the burden, if she saw you carrying it, she would find some way to lighten the load and support you. You were never indebted, just loved and cared for.

Arlene made five wonderful people who survive her, Daryl (Edith) Burkhard, Terry Burkhard, Michael Burkhard, Lyn (Jimmy) Hazelhurst, and Jon (Jolene) Burkhard; eleven grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren who all brought her pure joy.  In honor of Arlene, we ask you to do something loving for someone: offer to help with a project or make a gift with your own two hands. Mom, Grandma, Mumsie–thank you for making this family, for teaching us and showing us love, and for giving us the best gift of all: the memory of Wonderful You.