The funeral service for Betty Jean Burnham will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 22, at the United Methodist Church in Lake City with Pastor Phil Schmidt and Pastor Orin Sandberg officiating. Burial will follow in the Lakewood Cemetery in Lake City.

Mrs. Burnham, 86, of Brookfield, WI and formerly of Lake City, passed away on Friday morning, December 15, 2017 in Waukesha, WI.

Betty Jean Atkinson was born November 15, 1931 in Mankato to Archie and Olga (Haenze) Atkinson. She grew up at attended Lincoln Elementary School and Mankato High School graduating in 1950. She went on to attend Mankato State College for one year. On August 26, 1951 she married Pastor Charles Burnham in Mankato.

The Burnham's lived in several communities in Minnesota including Lake City and Frazee serving the United Methodist Churches there. Betty Jean was a homemaker and stayed busy with their four daughters, Pamela, Rosanne, Paula, and Vonda.

Betty Jean moved back to Lake City after the death of her husband in 1988. She was very active in the United Methodist Church, in the Bible Studies, Women's Group, and Circles. She also enjoyed doing childcare for many families in the Lake City area. Betty Jean enjoyed going out to eat with her friends and walking around Lake City. Loved to make English Toffee for the holidays. In April 2012 she moved to Muskego, WI to be near her daughter Pam, and in July of 2017 she moved to Brookdale Memory Care.

Betty Jean is survived by her daughters, Pamela (John) Anderson of Muskego, WI, Rosanne (Fred) Stram of Faribault, Paula Hamm of Grand Rapids, MN, and Vonda (Shannon) Dronen of South St. Paul; seven grandchildren, Sei, Kau, Chris, Heidi, Joseph, Brady and Zane; eight great-grandchildren, Skylie, Mekiah, Lucas, Naszir, Ashay, Adama, Sei Wessley, Kehleilei, and Ross; and sister-in-law, Vonda Atkinson of Blaine. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one grandson, Charles Johnson, one brother, Frederick Atkinson, and one sister, Joanne Austin.

Friends and family may visit from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 21, at Schleicher Funeral Homes, Lake City Chapel in Lake City, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.