John Edward Burkhead was born the son of Harrold and Jessie Mae (Johnson) Burkhead, on January 31, 1948, in Doniphan, Missouri. He lived a life of service to his family, friends, church, and countless teachers and students throughout his career in education. His courageous fight with cancer reached its end and Jesus called him home on January 29, 2023, in West Plains, Missouri, at the age of 74 years.
He was united in marriage on June 3, 1977, in Willow Springs, Missouri, to Anna Mae Looney, who was the wind beneath his wings and the CEO/Secretary/Treasurer of the operation, as described by John. He is survived by Anna Mae and their one daughter, Sarah Jo Burkhead Whittle, her husband, Dr. Neal Whittle, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, brothers-in-law James Looney and wife Jean Ann (West Plains) and Steven Looney (Thayer), as well as beloved Burkhead and Johnson cousins around the state and country, priceless hunting and fishing buddies from the places he lived, plus the Douglas family and children Gideon, Josiah, and Olivia. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Harrold and Jessie Mae Burkhead, and brother-in-law Charles Looney.
John appreciated the team of doctors and nurses who provided care for him during his cancer journey including Drs. Scott Roush and Charles Morgan in West Plains, Drs. Brian Davis and Eugene Kwon at the Mayo Clinic, 3 Rivers Hospice, and West Vue Nursing Center.
As a boy Johnny loved to be in the great outdoors: training bird dogs, hunting for quail, deer, and turkey, and fishing with his parents around Oregon County. He also shined shoes at the Burkhead Barber Shop and loved recounting stories told to him as a young man. John was a proud Thayer Bobcat, class of 1966, whose blood ran green, and was a varsity member of the basketball and baseball teams. As an alumni, he continued to support Thayer athletics and especially enjoyed listening to them on KKountry 95. During his high school and college education, he also played the alto saxophone, which was later passed on to Sarah Jo.
John was a first generation college graduate, earning his Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Science in Education – Reading, and his Specialist in Education – Educational Administration from (Southwest) Missouri State University. His 40 year career in public school education was spent in the Ash Grove, Ava, Fairview (West Plains), St. Clair, and Howell Valley (West Plains) school districts as a teacher and/or school administrator.
John placed his faith in Jesus Christ at a young age and was a member and Sunday School teacher at the Cornerstone Church of the Nazarene in West Plains. He was an avid crappie fisherman, enjoyed hunting for deer and turkey on his "lost 40" property, gardening and canning vegetables with Anna Mae, rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals, taking trips to Branson, and traveling to new places with family and retired teacher friends.
Funeral service will be Saturday, February 4, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home in Thayer, Missouri. Visitation will be Saturday, February 4, from 12:00 p.m. until time of service at 2:00 p.m.
Interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Thayer School Foundation or to Gideons International, and may be left at Carter Funeral Home.
He was united in marriage on June 3, 1977, in Willow Springs, Missouri, to Anna Mae Looney, who was the wind beneath his wings and the CEO/Secretary/Treasurer of the operation, as described by John. He is survived by Anna Mae and their one daughter, Sarah Jo Burkhead Whittle, her husband, Dr. Neal Whittle, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, brothers-in-law James Looney and wife Jean Ann (West Plains) and Steven Looney (Thayer), as well as beloved Burkhead and Johnson cousins around the state and country, priceless hunting and fishing buddies from the places he lived, plus the Douglas family and children Gideon, Josiah, and Olivia. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Harrold and Jessie Mae Burkhead, and brother-in-law Charles Looney.
John appreciated the team of doctors and nurses who provided care for him during his cancer journey including Drs. Scott Roush and Charles Morgan in West Plains, Drs. Brian Davis and Eugene Kwon at the Mayo Clinic, 3 Rivers Hospice, and West Vue Nursing Center.
As a boy Johnny loved to be in the great outdoors: training bird dogs, hunting for quail, deer, and turkey, and fishing with his parents around Oregon County. He also shined shoes at the Burkhead Barber Shop and loved recounting stories told to him as a young man. John was a proud Thayer Bobcat, class of 1966, whose blood ran green, and was a varsity member of the basketball and baseball teams. As an alumni, he continued to support Thayer athletics and especially enjoyed listening to them on KKountry 95. During his high school and college education, he also played the alto saxophone, which was later passed on to Sarah Jo.
John was a first generation college graduate, earning his Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Science in Education – Reading, and his Specialist in Education – Educational Administration from (Southwest) Missouri State University. His 40 year career in public school education was spent in the Ash Grove, Ava, Fairview (West Plains), St. Clair, and Howell Valley (West Plains) school districts as a teacher and/or school administrator.
John placed his faith in Jesus Christ at a young age and was a member and Sunday School teacher at the Cornerstone Church of the Nazarene in West Plains. He was an avid crappie fisherman, enjoyed hunting for deer and turkey on his "lost 40" property, gardening and canning vegetables with Anna Mae, rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals, taking trips to Branson, and traveling to new places with family and retired teacher friends.
Funeral service will be Saturday, February 4, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home in Thayer, Missouri. Visitation will be Saturday, February 4, from 12:00 p.m. until time of service at 2:00 p.m.
Interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Thayer School Foundation or to Gideons International, and may be left at Carter Funeral Home.
John Edward Burkhead was born the son of Harrold and Jessie Mae (Johnson) Burkhead, on January 31, 1948, in Doniphan, Missouri. He lived a life of service to his family, friends, church, and countless teachers and students throughout his career in education. His courageous fight with cancer reached its end and Jesus called him home on January 29, 2023, in West Plains, Missouri, at the age of 74 years.
He was united in marriage on June 3, 1977, in Willow Springs, Missouri, to Anna Mae Looney, who was the wind beneath his wings and the CEO/Secretary/Treasurer of the operation, as described by John. He is survived by Anna Mae and their one daughter, Sarah Jo Burkhead Whittle, her husband, Dr. Neal Whittle, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, brothers-in-law James Looney and wife Jean Ann (West Plains) and Steven Looney (Thayer), as well as beloved Burkhead and Johnson cousins around the state and country, priceless hunting and fishing buddies from the places he lived, plus the Douglas family and children Gideon, Josiah, and Olivia. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Harrold and Jessie Mae Burkhead, and brother-in-law Charles Looney.
John appreciated the team of doctors and nurses who provided care for him during his cancer journey including Drs. Scott Roush and Charles Morgan in West Plains, Drs. Brian Davis and Eugene Kwon at the Mayo Clinic, 3 Rivers Hospice, and West Vue Nursing Center.
As a boy Johnny loved to be in the great outdoors: training bird dogs, hunting for quail, deer, and turkey, and fishing with his parents around Oregon County. He also shined shoes at the Burkhead Barber Shop and loved recounting stories told to him as a young man. John was a proud Thayer Bobcat, class of 1966, whose blood ran green, and was a varsity member of the basketball and baseball teams. As an alumni, he continued to support Thayer athletics and especially enjoyed listening to them on KKountry 95. During his high school and college education, he also played the alto saxophone, which was later passed on to Sarah Jo.
John was a first generation college graduate, earning his Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Science in Education – Reading, and his Specialist in Education – Educational Administration from (Southwest) Missouri State University. His 40 year career in public school education was spent in the Ash Grove, Ava, Fairview (West Plains), St. Clair, and Howell Valley (West Plains) school districts as a teacher and/or school administrator.
John placed his faith in Jesus Christ at a young age and was a member and Sunday School teacher at the Cornerstone Church of the Nazarene in West Plains. He was an avid crappie fisherman, enjoyed hunting for deer and turkey on his "lost 40" property, gardening and canning vegetables with Anna Mae, rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals, taking trips to Branson, and traveling to new places with family and retired teacher friends.
Funeral service will be Saturday, February 4, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home in Thayer, Missouri. Visitation will be Saturday, February 4, from 12:00 p.m. until time of service at 2:00 p.m.
Interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Thayer School Foundation or to Gideons International, and may be left at Carter Funeral Home.
He was united in marriage on June 3, 1977, in Willow Springs, Missouri, to Anna Mae Looney, who was the wind beneath his wings and the CEO/Secretary/Treasurer of the operation, as described by John. He is survived by Anna Mae and their one daughter, Sarah Jo Burkhead Whittle, her husband, Dr. Neal Whittle, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, brothers-in-law James Looney and wife Jean Ann (West Plains) and Steven Looney (Thayer), as well as beloved Burkhead and Johnson cousins around the state and country, priceless hunting and fishing buddies from the places he lived, plus the Douglas family and children Gideon, Josiah, and Olivia. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Harrold and Jessie Mae Burkhead, and brother-in-law Charles Looney.
John appreciated the team of doctors and nurses who provided care for him during his cancer journey including Drs. Scott Roush and Charles Morgan in West Plains, Drs. Brian Davis and Eugene Kwon at the Mayo Clinic, 3 Rivers Hospice, and West Vue Nursing Center.
As a boy Johnny loved to be in the great outdoors: training bird dogs, hunting for quail, deer, and turkey, and fishing with his parents around Oregon County. He also shined shoes at the Burkhead Barber Shop and loved recounting stories told to him as a young man. John was a proud Thayer Bobcat, class of 1966, whose blood ran green, and was a varsity member of the basketball and baseball teams. As an alumni, he continued to support Thayer athletics and especially enjoyed listening to them on KKountry 95. During his high school and college education, he also played the alto saxophone, which was later passed on to Sarah Jo.
John was a first generation college graduate, earning his Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Science in Education – Reading, and his Specialist in Education – Educational Administration from (Southwest) Missouri State University. His 40 year career in public school education was spent in the Ash Grove, Ava, Fairview (West Plains), St. Clair, and Howell Valley (West Plains) school districts as a teacher and/or school administrator.
John placed his faith in Jesus Christ at a young age and was a member and Sunday School teacher at the Cornerstone Church of the Nazarene in West Plains. He was an avid crappie fisherman, enjoyed hunting for deer and turkey on his "lost 40" property, gardening and canning vegetables with Anna Mae, rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals, taking trips to Branson, and traveling to new places with family and retired teacher friends.
Funeral service will be Saturday, February 4, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home in Thayer, Missouri. Visitation will be Saturday, February 4, from 12:00 p.m. until time of service at 2:00 p.m.
Interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Thayer School Foundation or to Gideons International, and may be left at Carter Funeral Home.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
