Cecil Ray Burket

Cecil R. Burket, MD, 90, of Rochester, MN, formerly of Bremen, passed away on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at The Homestead in Rochester. He was born September 8, 1921, in Elkhart County, Indiana, to Norris & Effie (Tharp) Burket. On February 28, 1946, he married Berniece "Bunnie" Irene Wenger; she survives.

Cecil graduated from Jimtown High School in 1939. He enrolled in the US Navy V-12 program at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, graduating in 1946. His medical degree was completed in 1950 at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He completed a family practice internship at Memorial Hospital in South Bend in 1951.

Cecil was a Navy Veteran, having served from 1943-1945 in the US Navy Hospital Corps in Oklahoma and Florida. From 1952-1954 he served as a US Navy doctor at Norfolk Hospital in Norfolk, VA. In 1954, he joined the medical practice of Otis Bowen, MD and Marshall Stine, MD in Bremen. He served on the medical staffs of St. Joseph Hospital in Mishawaka; St. Joseph Medical Center and Memorial Hospital in South Bend; and Community Hospital in Bremen. He was a member of the American Medical Association and a charter member of the American Academy of Family Practice. He retired in 1989.

Dr. Burket was a member of the First United Church of Christ in Bremen. Volunteer service included work at the Health Clinic of the Winnebago Indian Mission in Black River Falls, WI; Trustee of Lakeland College in Sheboygan, WI; Bremen Recreation and Park Committee; Bremen Chamber of Commerce; Bremen Kiwanis; Diamond Trail Riders Association; Potawatomi Wildlife Park; and the Marshall County Community Foundation.

Survivors include: daughters Debra Elene (Christopher) Bauch of Rochester, MN, & Carla J Kaminski, Holland, MI; grandchildren: Nicholas Burket Bauch, Pasadena, CA; Julie Ann Bauch, San Francisco, CA; Joshua Burket Brewster, Indianapolis; Benjamin John (Bethany) Brewster, Seymour; James Anthony Kaminski, Riverside, CA; Thomas Charles Kaminski, Holland, MI; Michael John Kaminski, Chicago, IL; great-grandchildren: Conner Botkin Brewster & Owen Benjamin Brewster; and sister: Carol (Gene) Ireland of Atlanta, GA.



He was preceded in death by his parents Norris and Effie Burket; brothers Clifford, Carl, Dean, Charles; sisters Kathryn (Walters), Doris (Spake); and daughter Tamra Sue Brewster.



A memorial service will be held at 11:30AM on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at the Bremen First United Church of Christ and will be officiated by Pastor Tom Dean. A private committal service at the Olive Mennonite Cemetery, Wakarusa, will precede the memorial service.



Friends may call from 3PM-7PM on Friday, November 4, 2011 at the Mishler Funeral Home, Bremen.



Memorial contributions may be made to First United Church of Christ (323 South Center Street, Bremen, IN, 46056), Potawatomi Wildlife Park (16998 State Road 331, Tippecanoe, IN 46570), Marshall County Community Foundation, Cecil & Berniece Burket Mission Fund (2701 North Michigan Street, PO Box 716, Plymouth, IN 46563. Endowment proceeds benefit missions supported by the First United Church of Christ, Bremen.)