Paul Franklin Burk, 82, went to be with the Lord on July 8, 2020 after a valiant battle with a long illness. He died at home in Overland Park, Kansas, in the care of Olathe Hospice and his loving wife and family. His devotion to his immediate and extended family and his unshakeable faith in Jesus Christ strengthened him and ultimately gave him peace.
Paul was born to Herman and Margaret Burk and grew up farming wheat and raising cattle with his three brothers and two sisters in western Kansas. His happiest childhood memory was when, at six years of age, his mother gave him a 22 Bolt-Action Stevens Rifle. He soon was able to accurately shoot ‘a sunflower stem waving in the wind’.
Paul was blessed with a large and loving family. He met and married Carolyn Henson while working in the emerging space industry in southern California in 1963. He traded in his Austin- Healey for a used Buick when their first child was born. They moved to Florida where he worked on the Apollo Missions developing the self-destruct relay for the Saturn V and where their second child was born. The family landed in Overland Park, KS by 1970 where they had three more children and would raise their big and boisterous crew. Carolyn passed away in 1996.
Paul was a servant leader at heart who walked with his Lord and savior Jesus Christ. He had attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois before earning his degree in electrical engineering at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS in 1962. He earned his IEEE license, eventually gaining engineering licenses in every state west of the Mississippi and most of them to the east.
Paul’s core competence was competence. He could fix any machine. Solve any problem. He was a man of few words with a wry sense of humor and a competitive spirit. If you had the rare fortune of besting him in a game of Spades, you knew you earned it.
Paul was generous with his time and skills. He helped his family, friends and neighbors and rescued many a stranded traveler along I-70 during his long drives between Overland Park and Goodland, where he farmed in his retirement.
In 2000, Paul married Gloria Craig Burk with whom he would happily spend the rest of his life. Paul and Gloria were active at Blue Valley Baptist Church and in the lives of their grandchildren. They travelled widely during their twenty wonderful years together.
He is dearly missed by his loved ones, who celebrate his extraordinary life and take comfort that he is at peace with his Creator.
Paul is survived by his wife, Gloria; his children Kathy Biggs, Connie Burk, Karen Burk, Justin Burk and Janette Burk; Gloria’s three children; their combined 23 beloved grandchildren; his siblings Lowell Burk, John Whitney Cameron and Virginia Burk; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and extended family members.
He is preceded in death by wife Carolyn Henson Burk; his siblings Linda Belshe, Larry Burk and Vaughn Gene Burk; and his parents.
Paul will be buried at the Goodland Cemetery on Saturday, July 11th at 3 pm MDT/4 pm CDT near his parents and siblings. The family gratefully declines flowers and donations, but prayers, condolences and memories are gladly accepted. Online information and condolences www.batemanfuneral.com
1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in all its forms.