Holiday cheer for all to see
Dec 24, 2007, 04:08
Michelle Wood
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Inside, along the mantel, small clear lights illuminate the surrounding snowmen.
Gene is the retired chief of police in Warrensburg, and Donna retired from a career at the University.
This particular evening, Gene is wearing holiday colors, with a red-and-green long-sleeved plaid button-up shirt and Donna is wearing a festive long-sleeved, red shirt with gold decorations around the neckline. The colors are appropriate for the holiday season, but also for the night’s Mules basketball game they were about to attend.
“We go to every home football game and basketball game, as long as we’re in town,” Gene said.
However, since the Burdens became members of Warrensburg’s RV Club about three years ago, they have traveled quite frequently. From April through October, the couple takes a trip with the club each month, some lasting up to eight days.
“Our first trip was to Oklahoma City; we were invited by people at the senior center,” Donna said. “We had so much fun, we bought a motor home.”
Gene said usually a group of about four or five units go on every trip, but there have been as many as 12. Along the way, the group goes sightseeing and has potluck dinners, where Gene said there are usually so many leftovers they eat them all week.
In November every year, the Burdens go to Branson, Mo., with the “Golden Ages” group from the Baptist Church.
“We almost always go to Branson,” Gene said. “This year, we saw six shows. I like how all the shows honor veterans because, it seemed when I got out of the military, people didn’t honor them too much; but, within the last five years, people seem to do it more.”
In fact, that is how Gene came to Missouri. After growing up in Roxabel, N.C., and graduating from West Bertie High School in 1957, Gene joined the Air Force as an air policeman.
“I was first stationed in Orlando, Fla., for about nine months and then I went to Casablanca, North Africa, for about a year and a half,” Gene said. “Then, the military police transferred me to Whiteman and I was there for about a year and a half.”
Gene was not sure if he liked being in the military police, but when the lawnmower company he worked for moved out of state, he joined the Warrensburg Police Department as a rookie patrolman in February 1962.
“It was strictly law enforcement and a lot of security in the military,” Gene said, “but there is much more authority in the civilian police.”
In 1967, Gene was promoted to sergeant for one year and then became Chief of Police in 1968. He held that position until he retired in 2000.
During his time with the department, Gene said he liked working with Pine Street the least.
“We had riots in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, especially after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated,” Gene said. “People were throwing rocks, well, I guess boulders, and one time, I was driving by Clark and Holden streets and I heard a loud bang. I looked up and a rock penetrated the top of my police car.
“We also arrested a carload of people from Kansas City. They had sawed-off shotguns, so they went to the penitentiary. People were just trying to stir up trouble and excitement.
“It was a good career; I enjoyed it. I got to go to the FBI Academy for three months in 1979. It only took about three years for my name to come up,” Gene said with a laugh.
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| Donna and Gene Burden stand in front of their tree, which is one of the many decorations inside and outside of their home. (Photo by Donna Story) |
Contrary to Gene, and growing up far from Warrensburg, Donna grew up in Higginsville, Mo., and graduated from Chihuahua High School in 1957. Donna then came to Central in Warrensburg, where she graduated in November 1960, with a B.S. degree in business education and a minor in English.
“I didn’t teach, however,” Donna said. “I was also hired in 1960 in the president’s office as an assistant secretary at the University, where I helped supervise student employees and did other various office duties.”
Donna then moved to the dean of admissions office, where she was also a secretary. In 1973, Donna was transferred to the office of academic affairs, where she was an assistant to the provost. She remained there until she retired in 2000.
Calder said her mother’s colleagues highly revered her.
“Most of the professors and colleagues that I knew at CMSU said she was ‘basically the backbone of the University,’” Calder said. “While my mom laughed at this when I told her, I took it to mean they thought very highly of her.”
“I liked working with the faculty and students,” Donna said.
Although it was 47 years ago that Gene and Donna first met at the skating rink in Warrensburg in October 1960, both smile and look at each other when they think about the event.
“I don’t even know how we really met, but we met,” Donna said. “He probably asked me to skate.”
In fact, neither could remember exactly how things came to be, but they became engaged April 1, 1961.
“He told me he got the engagement ring out of a Cracker Jack box, since it was April Fool’s Day,” Donna recallled with a large grin and slight laugh.
“Her mom said it was OK if I married her, as long as I didn’t take her away,” Gene said, laughing.
The couple was married July 1, 1961.
Calder said, although she knows marriage is not always easy, she has never witnessed a huge fight between them.
“I admire their dedication to each other,” Calder said. “They definitely respect each other.”
The love was evident as the two constantly looked at one another and smiled while they recounted their many trips, their two children and three grandsons.
“One of the best parts about being a grandparent is that you get to see and play and spoil them rotten,” Gene said.
Calder said although her parents are retired, they are both actively involved with many organizations around the community.
The Burdens volunteer at the Warrensburg Senior Center and Gene is a member of the American Legion and visits the Veteran’s Home. Donna is a member of the Genealogy and ABC Clubs. Both try to exercise, but said they should do it more.
Gene also goes to coffee everyday at Parker’s, where he visits with other veterans. Donna has her own coffee group, which meets at Burger King almost every day.
“They definitely fit the ‘retired, but busy as ever’ mold,” Calder said.
Calder has many great memories of growing up, but one in particular sticks out in her mind.
“The summer before I came to CMSU, I was in a softball league,” Calder said. “My grandmother became very sick and ended up having to stay in one of the Kansas City hospitals for a couple of months, so my parents were not able to make every game.
“I remember standing on the field during one game and being very sad, even though I was having a wonderful game. After the game, I realized that in my whole life, my parents had been to every game, concert and event that I was in. At that moment, I knew how lucky I was, and vowed that I would do the same for my family one day, as well.”
