Obituary of Edna Marie Burklow

Edna Marie Byrd Burklow, 74, passed away Tuesday, August 7, 2018.

Viewing: 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, August 14, at Martin Thompson Funeral home, 6009 Wedgewood Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76133.

Interment: 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, August 14, at DFW National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75211.

Memorial Service: 2 p.m. Saturday, September 8, at St Luke’s in the Meadow Episcopal Church, 4301 Meadowbrook Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76103. Reception to follow in Abbott Hall.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her honor to Alzheimer's Disease Research and Parkinson Research

Born January 26, 1944, to Mamie Easter Griffin and Henry Milton Byrd, in Jessup, Georgia. Edna graduated with her BA from Mc Murray University in Abilene, TX where she grew up with her sister Julie Kay Byrd. She worked as an Editor of the MC Murry College newspaper and a Reporter of the Abilene Reporter News. After starting her teaching career at Wedgewood Middle School for Fort Worth ISD, where she was the chair of the English Department. She married Freddie Ronald Burklow in 1970 and her teaching career transitioned to Eastern Hills High School.

She had her only child/ daughter Jennifer Kay Burklow King in July of 1977. She took a break from teaching to raise her daughter, as well as, work on her Master’s Degree at Texas Christian University, graduating with her MLA in 1980.

When her daughter started pre-school at St Luke’s in the Meadow Episcopal Church School in Fort Worth, Texas, Edna started teaching part-time, at Tarrant County College, Where she taught college students how to write, and won her numerous contests for her poetry. When her daughter was in Middle School, she returned to teaching full time with Fort Worth ISD at Meadowbrook Middle School where she was certified to teach gifted and talented students, ESL students, and Reading. While still teaching at Meadowbrook Middle School, her family hosted an exchange student, Melvin Enrique Garner from Honduras for her daughters first year of high school who became like an adopted son and brother for her family. Three years after her daughter graduated from high school, her teaching career transitioned again back to high school level. She taught at South Hills High School where she won the Bank One Teaching Chair for Excellence in English. Edna retired from teaching in Fort Worth ISD in 2007 when her daughter had her only grandchild, Jonathan Edward Burklow King.

Edna Burklow, known as a loving wife, mother and Nana to her family, but to others as a carrying friend, and too many as Mrs. Burklow, a gifted Teacher. She cared about every student that she encountered; she had a calling to teach. She not only taught students, but her family and friends as well. You know this is a small world for a teacher, when your students know you, and they make a point to show their affection for what you have taught them. This happened frequently for Edna. She had one daughter, but she has several children through teaching. She loved books and history, which showed in her unseen talent as a wordsmith. She could create letters and poetry of beauty and intelligence, which persuaded anyone to see her view. One thing we know is, God has someone with Him that will be missed in this world but cherished in His.

Her husband, Freddie Ronald Burklow; her parents, Mamie Easter Griffin and Henry Milton Byrd; and her sister Julie Kay Byrd preceded Edna in death.

Survivors: Daughter, Jennifer Kay Burklow King and husband Randall James King II; grandson, Jonathan Edward Burklow King; adopted son, Melvin Garner and wife, Jennifer and their children, Ian, Lara and Mateo; brother, Jennings Byran Stone II; sister Fran Stone and a host of extended family and friends.