Jacquelyn Jean Patton

Jacquelyn Patton

Jacquelyn Jean Patton, 91, died on July 14, 2024, near Emporia.

She was born in Sheridan County near Selden on March 7, 1933, the only daughter of Elvie Roscoe (E.R.) (Pat) Patton and Jenny Juanita (Carpenter) Patton.

She was raised a Kansas farm girl alongside her brothers Don and Bill.

Jacque graduated from Scott Community High School in the class of 1950 as valedictorian. She later attended Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., for two years and graduated from Fort Hays State University with a degree in elementary education.

Jacque married Harold Burnett in Scott City. Their union produced four children. An educator at heart, she grounded her children extremely well in English and spelling. She taught kindergarten, high school level home economics and substitute taught in Scott community schools.

For decades, she taught Sunday School. She served as a volunteer secretary for Rev. Orson Evans at the Scott City Methodist Church. For many years, she volunteered as chair of an association in Western Kansas fighting for the rights of children with mental disabilities. She also served on each of the Scott City and Americus Library board of directors and as live-in house mother at the Chi Omega Sorority at Emporia State University.

Jacque was a terrific cook and made memorable vanilla and fresh strawberry homemade ice cream. For a time, she coowned and operated a restaurant in Oberlin. In her later years, she moved to Emporia and Americus.

Grandma Jacque spent a great amount of time caring for her daughter, Dion’s, children Will, Brittney and Jordyn.

An avid reader, she read perhaps (close to) every book in the Americus library.

Survivors include four children, Dak Burnett and wife, Pat, M.D., Kansas City, Mo., Bradley Burnett and wife, Kim, attorney at law, Wichita, Gregory Burnett and wife. Dolly, CPA, Phoenix, Ariz., and Dion Harmon, a national sales manager, Hudson, Ohio; brother, Bill Patton, Cascade, Mont.; 10 grandchildren, Joel, Portland, Ore., Douglas, Kansas City, Mo., Amy, Washington, D.C., Matthew, Detroit, Mich., Cassandra, Las Vegas, Nev., Jeremy, Salt Lake City, Utah, Lilli, Henderson, Nev., Will, Baltimore, Md., Brittney, Lawrence, and Jordyn, Edmond, Okla., and 12 great-grandchildren, Theo, August, Kennedy, Preston, Gage, Jordan, Jackson, Madison, Nolly, Zoey, Maddox, and Ronan; and a devoted friend and neighbor, Bill Harmon, Americus.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Donald Patton; former husband, Harold Burnett; and grandchildren, Miles Burnett and Ellianna Homme.

No memorial service is planned. Memorials are suggested to the Americus Township Library in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, 605 State Street, Emporia, Ks. 66801. Condolences can be left on-line at www. robertsblue.com.