Keo Audrey Burcham

In the early morning of Wednesday, July 15, 2015, Keo Audrey Glidewell Burcham, age 103, was relieved of her pain and is now standing in the presence of her Lord.

She was born on March 14, 1912, near Berwyn, Nebraska, the first child of Irvin Lee and Ina Hatfield Glidewell. The family moved frequently through southern states and eventually moved for a brief time in 1918, to Missoula, where her brother Ralph was born. Soon after his birth they moved on to Kellogg, Idaho, and then on to Kent, Washington, where she attended school, graduating in 1931. Her senior year she was chosen Queen of Kent by the Chamber of Commerce. One of the highlights of this honor was to cut the ribbon, for the opening of the Dunlap Canyon Highway, a new highway from Renton to Seattle. She was also the Queen of Lettuce Festival in Kent, which, at the time was named the "Lettuce Capital of the World". During these years she was very active in singing, entertaining with musical readings, drama, comedy and operettas. After graduation she went to work as a private secretary with Pacific Telephone and Telegraph (Ma Bell). In 1933 she took the train, by herself, from Seattle to Chicago for the World's Fair.

On a cruise ship in 1934 she met her future husband, Leroy Arthur Burcham. They were married two years later on New Year's Eve in 1936. There first home was in North Hollywood, California, where her husband worked in the movie/sound industry. In October 1938, with friends, they decided to quit their jobs and sailed to the Hawaiian Islands for a new adventure. Her husband got a job working for Singer selling and training women to use sewing machines. In 1940 while living on the island of Oahu, they welcomed their first daughter, Keolani. Early in 1941 they moved to the island of Kauai where they lived during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. Because they had a child they were encouraged to move back to the mainland. Waiting for eight months, they could finally return to Los Angeles, California. In 1946 they welcomed their second daughter, Carla. Anxious to get back to the Northwest they moved briefly to Kent and then on to Eugene, Oregon, where they raised their girls.

Keo, was a stay-at-home mom by choice, spending her time working with young people in Girl Scouts, Guardian of Job's Daughters, president of University of Oregon Mom's Club, on scholarship committees and volunteering with the Red Cross. She also took classes at the university in writing and oil painting and belonged to Toast Mistresess.

In 1969 she and her husband moved to the Tri-Cities in Washington State where Roy was the director of United Way. They bought a travel trailer and had many wonderful trips traveling with friends and their "trailer group". When Roy retired they became snowbirds living in the south during the winter and spending time with family in the summers. After three years of living in a travel trailer they decided they needed a permanent home and moved to Auburn, Washington. In 1982 her beloved husband passed away. In 1988, at the age of 76, she started a new career as the manager of a large mobile home park where she stayed until she retired at age 80.

She wanted to travel and she did. She bought a little "mini camper" and traveled visiting friends and family. She took cruises through the Panama Canal, Alaska, Hawaiian islands and with her daughter took a trip to Japan, China and Taiwan. She also traveled to Williamsburg, Virginia, New York City, Washington D.C. and Boston. At the age of 95 she decided it was time to move from her home in Washington to Missoula to be near her daughter and son-in-law. So she sold her house, decided to quit driving and moved to the Village Senior Residence in Missoula.

She had many hobbies including, pinochle, gardening, sewing, scrapbooking, camping, music and watching sports. She became a "home away from home" for many foreign students and their parents. She was a member of Holy Spirit Episcopal Parish and P.E.O. She loved going to the symphony, MCT, taking part in activities at the Village Senior Residence, church activities, Bible studies, and visiting with friend's young and old. In May 2015 she traveled to Helena for the Governor's Conference on Aging to attend the luncheon honoring the centenarians of Montana.

Family was the most important thing in her life. We will always remember her as being curious and interested in everything and everyone, being positive whatever the circumstances, being thoughtful and mindful of others first, for being a gracious lady with a special smile for everyone, for nurturing and caring for so many, for being full of life and her quiet and steadfast faith in God.

Keo was preceded in death by her parents, Ina and Lee Glidewell; her stepfather William Mitchell; her husband Leroy A. Burcham; her daughter Carla Marie Curl Snow (Dwight Curl and Hank Snow); her brother Ralph Glidewell (Geraldine) and niece Faith Glidewell.

She is survived by her daughter Keolani Brewer (Robert) of Missoula; grandchildren, Geoff Brewer (Katherine) of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Robyn M. Alper (Joshua) of Portland, Oregon, Lisa Cloutier (Erik) of Brighton, Colorado, Lorne Curl (Colleen) of Kent, Keomarie Huffman of Cinebar, Washington, Shane Curl of Charles City, Iowa; 18 great-grandchildren, Jamal, Sarrah, Malik, of Halifax, Chelsea, Madeline, Benjamin of Brighton, Natalie and Leah of Portland, Danielle, Haley, Clay and Wyatt of Kent, Kia Huffman Guiterrez (Alejandro), Naomi, Caleb, Zachary, Jacob of Cinebar, Chase, Joshua of Olympia, Washington; one great-great granddaughter Amia of Cinebar; nephews, Robert Glidewell (Janis) of Colville, Washington, and David Park (Georgeanne) of Whidbey Island, Washington; great-nephews, Bill Glidewell (Kelly) of Colville, Ryan Glidewell (Tammy) of Mullan, Washington; great-great-nephews and niece Joel and Jessie Glidewell of Colville and Chris and Jonathan Park of Seattle.

A memorial service will be held at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, 130 S. Sixth St., in Missoula at 11 a.m. on Aug. 22. Reception following. Interment will be in Maple Valley, Washington, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the charity of your choice. The family would like to thank all the staff at the Village Senior Residence for their care and friendship these past seven years and for the staff at Willow 5 BeeHive Homes for their care and friendship if only for a short time.
Read Keo Burcham's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.