Ford Neal Burkhart

Ford N. Burkhart

Ford N. Burkhart, 75, died Friday (Feb. 10, 2006) at Susan B. Allen Hospital in El Dorado. Ford was the beloved husband of his college sweetheart, Dorothea Frey Burkhart. They were married Aug. 30, 1950, at the First Church of the Nazarene in Newton. Ford attended Bethany Nazarene College (Southern Nazarene University) in Bethany, Okla. He was greatly loved and respected by his children and shared a keen sense of humor with them. Ford took great joy in spending time with his with his granddaughters. They all loved each other dearly.

Ford's military service was with the U.S. Army, taking basic training at Fort Riley. After basic training, he was destined for Korea during the Korean War. However, when he arrived in Japan he was transferred to General Matthew B. Ridgeway's Honor Guard, later to become General Mark Clark's Honor Guard, and was then stationed permanently in Tokyo until the end of his tour when he was honorably discharged.

Ford was an avid reader and enjoyed membership in the Inventors' Association of South-Central Kansas. He built homes in Newton after his tour of duty and was, to the end of his life, a skilled craftsman. He worked for several years and retired from the maintenance department at Presbyterian Manor. Ford referred to his tenure at the Manor as the most enjoyable employment of his life.

He served most of his married life on the Nazarene Church Board, and was an adult Sunday school teacher, and he and Dorothea served as youth sponsors in their early married years.

Ford was a man of integrity and was well respected in the community. He was a Bible-believing man, confident of his salvation through the shed of blood of Jesus Christ. He honored God with his life and all of his living. His loving family knows they will see him again one day in heaven.

Survivors include: spouse, Dorothea Burkhart of Newton; a son and daughter-in-law, Timothy N. and Kristen Burkhart of Newton; a daughter and son-in-law, Denise and Donald (Burkhart) Barkley of Wellsville; granddaughters, Meredith and Lilibeth Burkhart of Newton and Melissa and husband Philip Broadhurst of Colorado Springs, Colo.; brothers and sisters-in-law, Jay and Lou Burkhart of Newton, Park and Wynona Burkhart of Bethany, Okla., Glenn and Sue Burkhart of Santa Fe, N.M., and Nevin and Jan Burkhart of Bethany; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Joyce and Rod Lewis of Mazatlan, Mexico, and Dea and Glen Scales of Oklahoma City.

He was preceded in death by: daughters, Linda Burkhart and Janel Burkhart Brink; and parents, Allen and Bertie (Nunemaker) Burkhart.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday with family greeting friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home.

Graveside service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Greenwood Cemetery.

Memorial service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at First Church of the Nazarene of the Rev. Ron Thorton officiating.

Memorials have been established with First Church of the Nazarene in care of the funeral home.