Letter to the Editor: Parents, community helped raise a family

Jim and Maurita Burke may lightly be referred to as the sages of DeWitt, the “energizer bunny” elderly couple whom ubiquitously appear daily in church and at the definitive Sunrise Cafe. 

Our mom and dad have 10 children ranging in age from 53 to 70. On the farm they carried the weight of the responsibility for ten lives not only to age 18 but beyond into adulthood. Our growing years were filled with extended family, beloved grandparents, the seasons of farming, animals as pets and sustenance, various boisterous family social/emotional interactions while learning the give and take of living together, faith, education and eventually warmly welcomed daughters and sons in laws. 

Ahead of their time, we were all sent off to college. The miracle of balancing the finances while providing for a household of twelve eludes me to this day but as our mother says “we just did it.” I share this deep appreciation for our parents’ dedication to the ten of us with the village of DeWitt because of the crucial role the town played in nurturing and forming all of our lives. 

From kindergarten to our senior years, DeWitt schools were a source of pride, guidance and preparedness. 

How does one thank their parents and community, intertwined interminably, for the gift of a rich, abundant life? How does one acknowledge and cherish the magical placement of birth in a benevolent neighborhood with fiercely devoted parents? 

The task is daunting but best expressed simply. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, Mom and Dad for your love, steadfast support, stability and commitment.

Thank you, DeWitt, all residents both past and present, for being our family’s harbor of safety and foundation as you continue to embrace our beloved parents.

Maureen Moeller

Gold Canyon, Arizona