Lillie Louise Burnett Heath

Lillie Louise Burnett Heath was born March 22, 1921 at the family home on the hackberry Creek in Lane County, the 6th child of Leroy and Lou (Lloyd) Burnett. She died on March 24, 2017 at the age of 96 and 2 days at the Gove County Long Term Care in Quinter, Kansas.
She attended Hackberry Grade School and graduated from Dighton High School in 1939. Following 2 years at Dodge City Junior College, she began teaching at Buda School.
On June 1, 1941, she married Sam Heath at the home of friends in Dodge City. Sam and Lillie lived on the family farm in southern Lane County. A daughter, Rozan, was born in 1943 and a stillborn baby girl was born in 1947. While farming, they made a home for several young men who were hired to help Sam with the farming. Sam and Lillie always treated these young men as members of the family.
In the summer of 1958 they moved into Dighton where Lillie resided until her health required her to move to Quinter to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Richard Schmalzried. She made her home there for nearly 5 years and in May of 2016 she became a resident of the Gove County Long Term Care.
Lillie was a member of the First Christian Church of Dighton and especially loved being a part of the Quilter’s Group. She was the Eager Beavers 4-H Club sewing leader for many years. Other organizations included the IOOF Rebecca lodge and drill team, the As You Like It Federated Club, and Prairie Rose Red Hats. She was one of the original members of the J.O.Y Center and played with Joy Center Band. At the time of her death, she was proud to have been a member of Spring Creek EHU for over 75 years, and was both the oldest member in Kansas and also was the a member for the most years.
Her hobbies were quilting, sewing, painting, crocheting, bead making, and working in her flower garden. She also loved spending time with her family and grandchildren.
Lillie was preceded in death by her parents, Leroy and Lou Burnett, her husband Sam Heath, a stillborn baby girl, and brothers Lester, Leanard, Albert, Emmet , and Howard Burnett. She is survived by her daughter Rozan Schmalzried and husband Richard Schmalzried of Quinter, KS; a sister Dora Mae Bowman of Scott City, KS; sister-in-law Lottie Burnett of Dighton, KS; grandchildren Rick Schmalzried and wife Elizabeth of Lafayette, Indiana, Rory Schmalzried and wife Dawn of Castle Rock, CO, Rhett Schmalzried-Lugo and wife Patty of Olathe, KS, Rache’ Wente and husband Marlan of Quinter, KS, RaLynn Schmalzried Schmidt and husband Joe of Topeka, KS; and niece Tammy Rice and husband Steve of Scott City, KS. She also leaves 16 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren plus a host of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at the First Christian Church in Dighton with Rev. Keith Funk and Rev. Aerii Smith officiating. Burial will follow at the Dighton Memorial Cemetery. Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday and from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday all at Boomhower Funeral Home in Dighton. The family request memorials given to the First Christian Church of Dighton, the J.O.Y. Center, or the Gove County Long Term Care all in care of Boomhower Funeral Home.