Gladys Mcburney

Gladys M. McBurney, 90, of Humboldt, passed away December 8, 2014 at the Humboldt Care Center North. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 20th at the Oak Hill Baptist Church in Humboldt with the Rev. Doug Wolter officiating. Interment will be in Union Cemetery, Humboldt. Visitation is from 4-7 p.m. Friday, December 19th at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home in Humboldt. An Eastern Star Memorial Service will be at 7 p.m. Friday in the chapel of the funeral home.
Gladys Marie Altman, the daughter of Paul and Famie (Baumgartner) Altman was born on January 8, 1924 on the family farm in Humboldt County near Gotch Park. She attended Corinth Township Country School and graduated from Humboldt High School on May 29, 1941.
Gladys then graduated from Iowa State Teachers College on May 23, 1943. Following her education, she was employed by the Rolfe School District from 1943-1946 and the Humboldt Community School District from 1943 – 1951.
On December 26, 1948, Gladys was united in marriage to Harold E. McBurney, Jr. at the United Methodist Church in Humboldt. The couple made their home on the family farm where Harold actively farmed and Gladys continued to teach in Humboldt until her resignation in 1951.
Gladys continued to work on the farm with Harold and stayed busy raising their two daughters until January of 1964 when she began teaching at the Badger Township School in Badger, Iowa. In 1966 Badger consolidated with Fort Dodge Community Schools and Gladys continued teaching 1st grade at the Badger building under the leadership of Fort Dodge Schools. Gladys continued her education and graduated from Buena Vista College on August 15, 1970 earning her Bachelor of Arts Degree in education. She continued teaching at Badger until her retirement in 1987.
Following retirement, Gladys and Harold took many bus trips and traveled extensively to many parts of the US and Europe including, Hawaii, England, Germany, Austria, France, Norway, and her entire family’s ancestral country of Switzerland.
Gladys was very active in the community. She served as Superintendent of the Primary Sunday School department at the United Methodist Church for several years where she and Harold worked together producing many, magical Christmas programs, sang in the choir, and was involved in various church circles, and other activities.
Gladys was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star where she and Harold served in several offices as well as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron for many years.
An avid history buff, Gladys volunteered her time at the Humboldt County Historical Museum helping to clean and giving guided, educational tours to Hundreds of school children over the years. She and Harold also worked with the state’s Iowa Barn Foundation to restore their barn in 2004 and Gladys gave annual state barn tours from 2005 through 2013. Her knowledge amazed many visitors and she enjoyed meeting people from all over the state, country and world. In August of 2012, she was thrilled to accept the certificate recognizing the home farm as a Century Farm location.
Gladys also continued to work with children whenever possible. She volunteered her time at both Riverside Elementary School and Fair Oaks Middle School in Fort Dodge averaging two days a week. The Fort Dodge School Board recognized her for this in 1999 and in 2008 she was honored to receive the Governor’s Volunteer Award at a ceremony in Des Moines.
Gladys enjoyed reading and was actively involved with the local Chautauqua and Adventures in Reading groups in Humboldt.
In her “spare” time, Gladys loved gardening and spent hours in her two large gardens, freezing, canning, and sharing the bounty with family and friends.
Gladys remained in her home until December 30, 2013 when she became a resident of the Humboldt Care Center North.
Gladys is survived by her daughters, Paula (Richard) Freeman of Windsor Heights, IA and Ormand Beach, FL, and Barbara (Brad) Hart of Humboldt; granddaughter, Megan Hart (Travis Hanna) of Humboldt; and great grandson, Ian Hanna. She is also survived by her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Tom and Ruby McBurney and Lloyd and Carol McBurney all of Humboldt, and brother-in-law, Stanley Dirksen of Davis Junction, IL. Several nieces and nephews also survive her. Gladys was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Harold in 2005.
Memorials may be made to the discretion of th