Dr. Jimmy Lee Burden, 79, of Hartford, Ky., passed away on Oct. 7, 2013, at the Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. He was born in Echols, Ky., on June 29, 1934, to the late Claude and Millie (Minton) Burden.
Jimmy was a dedicated, loving husband, father, and friend. He was a member of the Pond Run Baptist Church in Echols and a former member and Deacon of the Hartford Baptist Church where he served as Sunday School Director and a member of the Gideons. He was also a former member of the Beaver Dam Baptist Church. In addition to his family and friends, he loved animals, farming, raising cattle, golfing, and restoring antique cars.
Jimmy was a 1952 graduate of Beaver Dam High School and attended Western Kentucky University before graduating in 1959 from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. His years of work and community service included: serving as a Captain in the U.S. Army & Dental Corps. (1959-1961), serving as president of Green River Dental Society, having been elected to and served on the State Board of Dental Examiners for several years, and serving as a U.S. Army civilian dentist in Hawaii and California. He then retired from the practice of Dentistry with 40 years of service in Hartford. He was a former member of the Ohio County Industrial Foundation, the Ohio County Airport Board, and the Ohio County Jaycees. He was also a partner in several community developments in Ohio County including: The Ohio County Medical Center, the Professional Care Health & Rehabilitation Home, and development of Iron Mountain Estates and Clearview subdivisions in Hartford.
In addition to his parents, Jimmy was preceded in death by his brothers, Cleo and Billy Burden, and his sister, Evelyn Crume.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Lewis Burden; four daughters, Teri McKinney (Mike), Dr. Kimberly Burden (Dr. Bruce Baskett), Dr. Brenda Burden (Dr. Ken Mayemura), and Bonnie Long (Brian); ten grandchildren, Amanda McKinney, Teresa McKinney, Meredith McKinney, Cameron Baskett, Grant Taylor, Aubrey Phillips, Amy Sams, Joshua (Jen) Long, Anna Long, and Emily Long Peterson (Ryan); four sisters, Naomi Thomas, Edna Mae Hawkins, Anna Rae Fulkerson, and Jeanette “Tootsie” Taylor; and one sister-in-law, Ann Burden and 14 great-grandchildren
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct 11, at the Miller-Schapmire Funeral Home with Rev. Alton (Doc) Crowe officiating. A military rites service and burial will take place at the Pond Run Baptist Church Cemetery in Echols, Ky. Military Honors will be presented by the Wesley C. Phelps Honor Guard of Ohio County. Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, and from 9 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday at the Miller-Schapmire Funeral Home in Hartford.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to the Pond Run Baptist Church (please mail to the attention of: Levi Harper – Treasurer, 75 Burden Lane, Beaver Dam, Ky. 42320) or to Friends of the Ohio County Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 7, Hartford, Ky. 42347.