Our dear mother Mildred Mable (Kralicek) Burbridge sadly passed away on May 24, 2022 at the age of 96 in Twain Harte, California. She was born in Buffalo, Oklahoma on August 1, 1925 to Jim and Faye (Butler) Kralicek. She was the fourth child and second daughter in her family which grew to a total of twelve children. Mildred spent most of her childhood in Mooreland, OK until her family moved to Montrose, Colorado in 1941. After graduating from Montrose High School, she worked for FW Woolworth, rising to office manager during WWII. Mildred continued to work off and on for Woolworth for more than 25 years. When she wasn't working for Woolworth, Mildred was a devoted wife and mother. To help the family, she took on such jobs like taking the census for Fremont county in Wyoming, making donuts in a bakery in La Grange, Texas. She also found employment working for the Department of the Navy in Brownsville, Texas and the Department of Agriculture back in Riverton before retiring in 1995.
During World War II, Mildred felt it was her patriotic duty to write to servicemen and cheer them up. Her one letter turned into writing letters to 10 different servicemen. One of the servicemen and his friend, Loyd Burbridge, started writing to Mildred. After the war, Loyd returned home to finally meet Mildred. After a short courtship, he asked her to marry him. She agreed but only after inventory was completed at Woolworth. They were married in Montrose Methodist Church on January 6, 1946. Loyd’s job took them all over the western United States and they lived in many places: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Utah, Arkansas and Texas. They lived in such unique areas as Lukachukai, Arizona and Monument Valley, Utah. When the children started school they moved to Montrose, Colorado. After retiring, Loyd and Mildred moved to Grand Junction, CO. Following Loyd's death in 2002, Mildred moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas to live close to her son. Her final move was to Twain Harte, California where she resided with her daughter until her death.
Mildred was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, and aunt. It was not uncommon to hear people say what a blessing she was to them and she always looked for the good in everyone. Her children say, “She was a wonderful mother who was always there when we needed her and she showered us with unconditional love. That is why we called her our “Dear Sainted Mother.” She loved to travel, sew, crochet & knit, work crossword puzzles (which she taught her grandchildren to love also), work in the garden and listen to hymns. Mildred loved the Lord and was active in her church wherever she lived. She was a good and faithful servant.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Loyd Burbridge, her parents Jim and Faye (Butler) Kralicek, a granddaughter, Shannon Burbridge, five brothers and three sisters. She is survived by her four children, Blanche (Pat) Flanagan of Eureka, Montana; Carolyn (Dennis) Tuck of Twain Harte, California; Jim (Diana) Burbridge of Hot Springs, Arkansas; Becky Trudeau (Greg Langley) of Boulder City, Nevada, her brother, Max Kralicek of Clovis, New Mexico and her sisters, Rosamond Blair and Rita Taylor of Grand Junction. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.
A visitation will be held from 3:00-6:00 PM, on Friday, June 3, 2022 at Martin Mortuary. Funeral services will be held at the Bookcliff Baptist Church in Grand Junction, Colorado on June 4th at 10:00 a.m. with burial in Delta Cemetery, Delta, Colorado beside her husband. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to any local HopeWest Hospice or Bookcliff Baptist Church in Grand Junction, CO.
