Virginia "Jenny" Lee BURKEMPER

Jenny was born on August 10th 1932 in St. Louis to Walter Scott and Gladys Vance Scott. She was the 3rd of 4 girls. In 1933, the family moved from St. Louis to the small village of Chain of Rocks, MO just southwest of Old Monroe. The girls worked the small farm including milking cows and putting up hay in the barn with an old Allis-Chalmers tractor. They helped in the garden and helped their mother can many a fruit and vegetable for the winter months. Jenny learned a lot from her father. Many years later, she was definitely the handywoman around the house. In the fall 1951, her sister Betty called to ask her to go onto a double date with Betty’s beau Pete Reller and David Burkemper. She said yes. They attended a community dance on Thanksgiving Day 1951. Two years later they married on January 17th, 1953 at Immaculate Conception Church in Old Monroe, MO. The newlyweds moved to Highland Ave in Wellston, MO. In October of that year, their first daughter, Susan was born. Two years later Keith was born. In 1956 they moved to O’Fallon, MO and the family continued to grow with Julie in 1958 and Beth in 1961 and finally Molly in 1967. In the coming years she was able to travel with David to many places including Argentina, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Montreal and many locations in the U.S. They made many friends and wonderful memories along the way. She instilled in her children, grandchildren and her great-grandchildren a love of reading, learning, an appreciation for the little things such as the song of a jenny wren or a cardinal and the quiet solitude of fishing. Above all else, the importance of family. She LOVED having all of the family gathered in her home. She glowed with love when all her chicks were in one place. She was a founding member of the Ladies Sodality at Assumption Church and the Ladies Auxiliary for the Knights of Columbus. She and David were very active in the parish and each took officer roles in various groups. She was even a gym teacher at Assumption Elementary School for a short time. She was known for her many themed parties and being the “hostess with the mostest” Giving of herself was her greatest gift to all of us. Proceeding her in death are her loving husband David, son Keith, grandson Jesse and great-grandchildren Julianna and Jack. She is survived by her 4 daughters – Susan (Steven) Inlow, Julie (Gavin) Samek, Beth (Kevin) Runge and Molly (Sean Sweeney) Abshear, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and her sister Dorothea Murphy. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the charity, Society of St. Vincent DePaul – Assumption Conference. Donations can be sent to Assumption Parish 403 North Main St. O’Fallon, MO 63366. A memorial mass will be conducted at Assumption Parish, O’Fallon, MO on Thursday, September 12th beginning at 10:30 am. There will also be a celebration afterwards with lunch in the KofC hall.

Virginia "Jenny" Lee BURKEMPER

August 10, 1932 - August 31, 2024