Edith Louise (Goldapp) Burris

Edith Louise Goldapp Burris died on August 9, 2024. Edith was born on March 23, 1935, in the Lara Community of Jim Wells County to Alma and Otto Goldapp. She was preceded in death by her husband John and grandson Coleman Burris. Edith is survived by her children, John Howard Burris, Jr. (Cecelia), Elaine Burris Darby (John), and Travis Holland Burris (Katy) and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Educated at Lara School between Alice and San Diego through the sixth grade, Edith transferred to the Alice Independent School District and graduated from Alice High School in 1953. She earned a B.A. degree from Southwest Texas State Teacher’s College and a M.A. from Texas A & I. She taught school in Gallup, New Mexico, San Antonio, Texas and Alice, Texas for twenty-four years. As a senior sponsor at Alice High School, she was always called upon to participate in faculty skits during spirit pep rallies. Many of her students still remember her saying, “You don’t have the sense God gave little green apples”.

Edith Burrs was a member of the First United Methodist Church where through the years, she filled many positions from elementary superintendent to Administrative Board.

 She was a life member of Texas State Teacher’s Association, a member of Gamma Sigma Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, a member of Kappa Tau Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, a former member and president of Alice Women’s Cotillion, and served on the Board of the Alice Public Library for 20 years. As her children grew, she supported the Hub City Hustlers (swim team) and 4-H.

After retiring as a high school English & Literature Teacher, Edith became very active in garden club work. A love of plants and flowers had been instilled in her by her mother. She held many offices in the Retama Garden Club, was a life member and former District Director of District VII of Texas Garden Clubs. She was a life member of Texas Garden Clubs, served as a State Chairman of Committees and Trustee of Texas Garden Clubs, Inc. She studied and became a certified Master Judge of Flower Shows by the National Garden Clubs of America. Edith was also a Master Floral Designer certified by Texas Garden Clubs. One of her joys was attending Design Seminars at Texas A &M every summer.

In their early years of marriage, Edith and John moved often in pursuit of their educations and his active-duty service as an Air Force Officer. As John continued his Air Fore career in the Reserves, she supported him in his service as it led to the Pentagon. His retirement as a Major General held in Washington D.C. was a multi-day affair attended by friends and family. Throughout all the years of their marriage, Edith took an active part in farming and ranching interests, often credited to keeping the place running while John was “off-at-the-Reserves”.

Pride in her children was steady, growing aspect of her life. As the grandchildren moved into adulthood, they moved from just “those wonderful grandchildren” to “look at what they are doing”. Edith was very proud of them and the parents who raised them.

Family Visitation will be from 1:15 PM - 2:00 at Immanuel Lutheran Church Friday, August 16, 2024. Funeral Services will be on Friday, August 16, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1400 N Texas Blvd., Alice, Texas and led by Edith’s niece, Mary Goldapp Jackson. Remembrances and memorials of Edith’s life can be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church of Alice, Alice Public Library, 401 E. 3 rd Street, Alice, TX 78332 or Texas Garden Clubs, Scholarship Fund, 3111 Old Garden Road, Fort Worth, TX 76107 (form available on TexasGardenClubs.org).

Services are entrusted to Holmgreen Mortuary, 2061 East Main Street, Alice, Texas.

Condolences may be offered at www.holmgreenmortuaryinc.com

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