Joanie Burling

Joanie Burling, age 51, of Aurora died Monday morning, May 8, 2000 at home after a 3˝ year battle with cancer.

Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Wednesday at the First Christian Church. Rev. Jay Mitchell will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Aurora Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 on Tuesday at Higby Mortuary. Memorials may be made to the family.

OBITUARY: JOANIE BURLING

Joanie Elaine Burling, the daughter of Alvin and Aretta (Clingingsmith) Doremus, was born in Seward, Nebraska on October 4, 1948, and died in Aurora, Nebraska, on May 8, 2000, at the age of 51 years, 7 months and 4 days.

She grew up on a small farm in Seward County where she attended Country School District #43 through 8th grade and then graduated from Utica High School in 1966. Through her high school years Joanie waited tables at the Standard Café in Seward. After graduating from high school she began data processing courses at Milford Technical School. She worked in Lincoln for a time and married Marion (Smitty) Smetter in 1967. They lived in Loveland, Colorado for a brief period before moving to Aurora, where she enjoyed being a housewife, mother and occasionally working part-time jobs.

She began working full time at Hamilton Manor in 1981. Joanie married Eldon Burling in 1982. In 1987, she became a Certified Social Worker, which she truly loved. They moved to Aurora Cemetery in 1989 where Eldon is the Sexton.

Joanie loved singing and did so whenever asked. She performed with The Sisters of St. Marquette since 1993 and was active in the 1st Christian Church Choir in Aurora.

She is survived by her husband Eldon; two sons, Dallas Smetter, M.Ed, and his wife Wilma Jo and grandson Reed of Harlingen, Texas and Douglas Smetter. She is also survived by one brother, Allen Doremus and his wife Arlene of Omaha; four step-children; Beth Fotinos and Brenda Stocker of Kenesaw, Barbara Andreason of Genoa and Robert Burling of Hastings; 11 step-grandchildren and 2 step-great-grandchildren.