Jaquelyn Jean Burnett

Jacquelyn Jean Patton was born in Sheridan County near Selden, Kansas on March 7, 1933, the only daughter of Elvie Roscoe (E.R.) (Pat) Patton and Jenny Juanita Carpenter Patton. She was raised a Kansas farm girl alongside her brothers Don and Bill. Jacque graduated from Scott Community High School in the class of 1950 as valedictorian. She later attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri for two years and graduated from Fort Hays State University with a degree in elementary education.

Jacque married Harold Burnett in Scott City, Kansas. Their union produced four children. An educator at heart, she grounded her children extremely well in English and spelling. She taught kindergarten, high school level Home Economics and substitute taught in Scott community schools. For decades, she taught Sunday School. She served as volunteer secretary for Reverend Orson Evans at the Scott City Methodist Church. For many years, she volunteer served as chair of an association in Western Kansas fighting for the rights of children with mental disabilities. She also served on each the Scott City and Americus Library Board of Directors and as live-in house mother at the Chi Omega Sorority at Emporia State University.

Jacque was a terrific cook and made memorable vanilla and fresh strawberry homemade ice cream. For a time, she co-owned and operated a restaurant in Oberlin, Kansas. In her later years, she moved to Emporia, Kansas and Americus, Kansas. Grandma Jacque spent a great amount of time caring for her daughter Dion’s children Will, Brittney and Jordyn. An avid reader, she read perhaps (close to) every book in the Americus library.

Jacque is survived by: her brother, Bill Patton, of Cascade, Montana; her four children: Dak Burnett (Pat), M.D. of Kansas City, Missouri; Bradley Burnett (Kim), Attorney at Law of Wichita, Kansas; Gregory Burnett (Dolly), CPA of Phoenix, Arizona; and Dion Harmon, a National Sales Manager from Hudson, Ohio and devoted friend and neighbor Bill Harmon of Americus, Kansas. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Joel (Portland, Oregon); Douglas (Kansas City, Missouri); Amy (Washington, D.C.); Matthew (Detroit, Michigan); Cassandra (Las Vegas, Nevada); Jeremy (Salt Lake City, Utah); Lilli (Henderson, Nevada); Will (Baltimore, Maryland); Brittney (Lawrence, Kansas); Jordyn (Edmond, Oklahoma) and 12 great grandchildren: Theo; August; Kennedy; Preston; Gage; Jordan; Jackson; Madison; Nolly; Zoey; Maddox; and Ronan.

Jacque passed away on July 14, 2024, at age 91 near Emporia, Kansas. She was predeceased by her parents, brother Donald Patton, former husband Harold Burnett and grandchildren Miles Burnett and Ellianna Homme.

No memorial service is planned. Memorials in lieu of flowers are suggested to the Americus Township Library in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, 605 State Street, Emporia, KS 66801.