Kristine Elizabeth Burkum

Clay Center resident, Kristine Elizabeth Burkum, 51, passed away Saturday, January 6, 2018, at the Henderson Care Center in Henderson, NE. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 10, 2018, at the Clay Center Christian Church in Clay Center with Rev. Kevin Whitmore officiating. Interment will follow at the Clay Center Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, from 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., with the family present from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., at McLaughlin Funeral Chapel in Clay Center, NE. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Clay Center Christian Church. Kristine Elizabeth Burkum was born September 26, 1966, at Broken Bow, NE to Donald H. and Mildred (Wilson) Burkum. The family moved from Litchfield, NE to Clay Center, NE in 1967 where Kris lived most of her life. She accepted Christ as her Savior at an early age and was a member of the Clay Center Christian Church. She graduated from Clay Center High School and attended Nebraska Christian College in Norfolk NE. While in college she participated in choir and traveled with college teams and on choir tours. Kristine taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible school and enjoyed all church activities. She especially enjoyed small group Bible studies in recent years. During her entire life, Kris glorified God in the good times and the bad. When she was being treated for leukemia at the age of eight years, before the doctors began any procedure, she insisted on stopping for prayer. It was by God's great mercy and the multitude of prayers that at the age of 17 she was declared cured of leukemia. However, the battle with leukemia took its toll on her physical body and resulted in numerous issues which caused hospital stays, therapy rehabilitation, assisted living, and care homes when the family could no longer provide the needed care. While living in the various facilities, Kris still "bloomed where planted" and brought sunshine into the lives of others. Kris loved her physical family as well as her church family who gave such loving support for her. Her life was filled with church activities and family gatherings with her nieces and nephews. Her favorite pastime was playing games with them, watching them in their activities, and cuddling with the smaller ones. Kris enriched the lives of everyone she touched, used every opportunity to share a smile or give an encouraging word and hug. On January 6, our beloved one closed her eyes in sleep and heard God's whisper, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant". Survivors include her mother, Mildred of Clay Center, NE; brother, Steven and wife Lynn Burkum of Stockton, CA; sister, Katherine Atz of Hastings NE, sister-in-law, JoAnn Kreuger of Griswold, IA; 8 nieces and nephews; 18 great-nieces and nephews; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Kris was preceded in death by her father, Donald; brother, Randall Burkum; maternal grandparents, Charles and Elizabeth (Schlafer) Wilson; paternal grandparents, Arnold Burkum and Mildred (Henthorn) Taylor.

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Kristine Elizabeth Burkum

September 9, 1966 - January 6, 2018