Jack D. Burris

Jack Burris


Jack D. Burris, 75, Topeka, died Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002, at his home.
Mr. Burris had been employed at the Carson Funeral Home in Parsons and joined the Rude Funeral Home in Parsons after becoming a licensed funeral director and embalmer. The Rude Funeral Home later became the Washburn-Blossom Funeral Home. He and Gary L. Wall entered into partnership in 1965 in the Burris-Wall Funeral Home, which became the Burris-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in 1979, and he continued in that firm until retiring in the middle 1980s.

He was born Nov. 29, 1929, in Parsons, the son of Theodore R. and Wilda M. Davis Burris. He graduated from Parsons High School, Parsons Junior College and the University of Mortuary Science in Kansas City. He moved to Topeka from Parsons in 1994.

Mr. Burris was a member of Westside Christian Church in Topeka, Parsons Lodge No. 117 AF&AM and a life member of Kiwanis International. He was past president of the Parsons Kiwanis Club. He served six years on the Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts including two years as president. He also was a member of the Kansas Funeral Directors Association.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Jo Burris, at home; a daughter, Diana Rogers, Bernice, Okla.; a stepson, Michael J. O'Toole, Topeka; a stepdaughter, Kathleen Zimmerman, Denver; a brother, Donald Burris, Peck; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one stepgrandson.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the First Christian Church in Parsons. Burial will be at Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Parsons. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Parker-Price Mortuary in Topeka and from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Parsons.

Memorial contributions may be made to Westside Christian Church of Topeka or the First Christian Church in Parsons and sent in care of the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, P.O. Box 942, Parsons, 67357.