Obituary of Dorothy J Burgett

Dorothy (McCurdy) Burgett, 93, of Clarinda, passed away into the hands of the Lord on February 21, 2023, at the Shenandoah Medical Center.

Dorothy was born in Omaha, Nebraska on April 24, 1929, to Christian and Christine (Hansen) Mathisen. She grew up in Irvington, Nebraska, graduating from Irvington High School in 1946.  From there, she was trained as a bookkeeper and employed by Northern Natural Gas and later worked as a cosmetologist.   She was united in marriage to Gayland McCurdy on April 15, 1956, in Omaha.   After marriage, she resided in Clarinda and was a homemaker, raising 2 sons, David, and Steven McCurdy. Her husband, Gayland, passed away in 1978. In 1995, she remarried Rex Burgett, who also preceded her in death in May 2019.  

She was a stay-at-home mother for much of her life, known for baking and decorating cakes for others’ birthdays, weddings, and graduation celebrations.  She was involved as a Cub Scout Den leader for Pack 202.   After Gayland’s death in 1978, she became active as a manager for the senior citizen's meal site, became involved with the local Widowed Person’s Group and in the RSVP group in Clarinda.  She was a generous, kind and giving person throughout her life and enjoyed visiting with her family and friends. 

Dorothy is survived by her sons, David (Gail) and Steven of Clarinda, her sister Carol (Mathisen) Little, of Omaha, and her brother-in-law Willard Little of Omaha.  She also will be missed by her step-grandchildren Kara and Roland Cohagen, and numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives.  

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, husbands, Gayland McCurdy and Rex Burgett, her sister, Donna (Mathisen) Hunt and Brother-in-law, Raymond Hunt. 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at the Walker-Merrick-Billings Funeral Chapel.  Visitation will be held at 10:00 AM at the Funeral Chapel before the service. Burial will be at the North Grove Cemetery in Rural Page County.