Cherie Sue Burkhart

Cherie Sue Jeanneret was born on March 3, 1939 in her farmhouse in rural Hartford, Kansas to Evelyn Lucile (Storrer) and Harold J Jeanneret.  Cherie and her older sister, Beverly, grew up on the farm with early morning chores collecting eggs, cleaning pens, and feeding chickens before going to a one room schoolhouse with no running water.  Going to the outhouse in the winter was a very quick affair.  She attended and graduated from Lamont High School in Lamont, Kansas.

Cherie married Theodore (Ted) Mills in 1958.  Shortly after, their twin daughters Brenda and Glenda were born, and several years later their son, Toby, arrived.  During that time, Cherie lived in several cities across the country with her family, including Sedalia, Missouri and Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Her family was active in the Church of Christ, and Cherie was a stay-at-home mom to her three kids.

Cherie eventually returned to the Emporia area, where she was employed by Wolf Creek.  She moved to Topeka a few years later when she married Kenneth Burkhart.  The two were married for 30 years until his death in 2020.  They led an active life and enjoyed traveling, bowling, playing cards with friends, and visiting family, among other activities. She also worked for Oneok in Topeka until she retired.  Cherie loved sewing, cooking, and baking cakes for weddings and special occasions.  The couple was very involved with their church in Topeka and worked on many projects at Tallgrass Christian camp to benefit the youth, and she took great joy in regularly baking bubble-loaf for the camp.  Her favorite thing, however, was visiting her children and grandchildren, and she kept in regular contact with them.

Cherie passed away at her home in the Healthcare Resort in Topeka after a lengthy battle with Vascular Dementia.  She is survived by her two daughters, Brenda (Leslie) Parrish and Glenda (Daryl) Penry, and her son, Toby (Deanne) Mills.  Surviving grandchildren are Keylock (Christina) Dees, Toni (Mike) Kirkland, and Brandon, Kaitlyn, Jamison, Graysyn, and Zachary Mills, and Glenn Lindsey.  She has three great-grandchildren: Anthony Simonds (Son Little D), Kayden, and Carley Dees.  Cherie is preceded in death by her grandson, Ricky Gene; her parents, Evelyn and Harold Jeanneret; her sister, Beverly, and brother-in-law, Duane Laws; and her husband, Ken.

The family will greet friends from 10:00 am until 11:00 am Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at the Davidson Funeral Home. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 am. Private burial will be in the Hartford Cemetery, Hartford, Kansas.

Memorial contributions to Tallgrass Christian Camp PO Box 23085, Overland Park, Kansas  66283

To view her memorial service click here.

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