Dates
Lila (Lake) Burre was born in Leavenworth, Kansas on March 28, 1933 and passed in San Angelo, Texas on January 5, 2021 just 3 weeks after Harold Burre - her husband of 66 years. Her parents were Thomas A. Lake and Elfrieda (Vinke) Lake of Leavenworth, KS who ran a small meat market/grocery store there.
After high school in Leavenworth, Lila received her RN in nursing from St Luke’s school in Kansas City and married her high school sweetheart Harold Burre (also of Leavenworth) a week after he first visited San Angelo for the first time in 1954 while on an AFROTC excursion to Goodfellow AFB when it was still a flying training base (he spent one more year completing his undergraduate degree from Kansas State before commissioned into the Air Force in 1955).
As a military wife, Lila travelled across the country and the world (with assignment in Crete, Greece being her favorite experience) and later continued that sense of adventure with her husband by travelling the country extensively in their motor homes, accompanied by their Silky Terrier companions, and was able to visit all 50 states (many multiple times) and visit most all of our beautiful National Parks.
Lila worked in various military hospitals part time as a nurse and when coming to San Angelo in 1969, started work as an OB Nurse with Dr. Sterling Gillis – assisting him in bringing many newborns into the world. After her nursing career was over, Lila continued with another interest of hers by opening Carousel Needlepoint in the Stadium Park Shopping center and operating that store for nearly 15 years.
Preceding her in death were her parents, son Mark and her husband Harold. Survivors include son Steve Burre and daughter-in-law Sheryl Blaylock-Burre of Weatherford, TX, distant cousins in Manning, Iowa as well as her two loving Silky Terriers Willie and Annie (who will now be cared for by son Steve).
Visitation honoring Lila’s life is scheduled Jan 13 from 5-7pm at Harper Funeral Home in San Angelo, followed by a brief graveside service at 2pm on Jan 14 at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens.
The family thanks Dianne Bass caregivers and Kindred Hospice nurses for making it possible for Lila to remain in the San Angelo home she and Harold built in 1975 and loved so much. Suggested recipient for donations: West Texas Boys Ranch.