Madelyn Ellen Burkhart Obituary (1925 - 2014)

Madelyn Burkhart was born on May 19, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois and passed away in Porterville, California on October 1, 2014. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile, spirited life and for her endearing love of family and friends. She was 89 years old. Her parents were the late George R. Pierson and Margaret E, McGinnis. The family moved to Bakersfield, CA where she attended elementary school and attended East Bakersfield High School her freshman year when it was first build. Her parents relocated to the Porterville area where she then completed her high school education at Porterville Union High School. There she met her life-long friends Bill Sharman, Myron Wilcox and Guido Lombardi. While in school she met the love of her life, John E. Burkhart and they married right out of high school on May 2, 1942. They raised two loving sons, Robert and Ronald Burkhart. Madelyn worked for 42 years as a bookkeeper for local businesses and later for kings and Tulare County's Mental Health program for King's View Corp. in the accounting department. She also worked at KTIP radio for the owner Jack Tighe and was the first female broadcaster, hosting the "Women in the News" program. She was very active in Lindsay and Porterville organizations and was past president of Porterville Women's Club, SETCO past president and also past president of Tulare County Welfare Association. While chairwomen of the Tulare County Mental Health Board and member of the state of finance committee for mental health; she was invited with the committee to the White House and had the pleasure of meeting with Mrs. Roselyn Carter. Madelyn was elected to the Lindsay Hospital Board of Directors and served for 16 years, 10 years as board president. She was Lindsay's representative to Sierra View District Hospital Board when SVDH purchased Lindsay Hospital. Madelyn was a devout Catholic and member of St. Anne's Parrish and said she was of great "Irish Pride." She was a very devoted Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Cubs, and Fresno State fan. She especially enjoyed her pets, Chihuahua, "Jimmy" and Siamese cat "Flip." She was predeceased in death by her parents George and Margaret Pierson and her late husband John Burkhart. She is survived by her sons Robert Burkhart of Porterville and Ronald (Carol) of Morro Bay, granddaughters Lauren and Jillian, of Paso Robles and Joe (Alice) McGinnis and family from Orland Park, Illinois. The family would like to "Thank" Whitehurst-Peters-Loyd, Hospice, her caregivers Mary Ann, Bob and Shirley and also the professional staff of Porterville Convalescent Hospital for their exceptional care.