Rita Annette Burk

Rita Annette Layne Burk died on December 11, 2020 following a courageous battle with COVID. She lived her life as a testament to Jesus Christ and was the picture of strength and devotion as a wife and mother. She adored her children and grandchildren. Always the teacher, she touched the lives of countless generations of students that went through her classrooms. She influenced numerous colleagues that worked with her. Everyone that knew her was influenced by the imprint that she left on their lives. She was a quiet and gentle giant living her entire life in small corners of the world always serving as a model of what is good and beautiful in this world. In state: Tuesday, December 15, 2020, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations in Annette's name be made to the First Baptist Church Music Ministry, 500 North Main Street, Springtown, Texas 76082. A lifelong resident of Springtown, she was born April 21, 1939 to Langston Irvin and Mabel Cecilia Schade Layne. She graduated from Springtown High School as Salutatorian. She attended Decatur Baptist College and later graduated from Howard Payne College. On August 11, 1961 she married the love of her life, James Grady Burk. They moved to Seagraves, Texas where she began her career as a teacher while her husband finished his Engineering Degree from Texas Tech University. Soon after, they moved to Springtown where she taught school in Weatherford ISD and Springtown ISD. After her children were born she took a break from teaching to manage a Daycare for First Baptist Church. She went back to school and earned a Master's Degree from Texas Woman's University. After graduating she founded the Gifted and Talented Program for Springtown ISD and was a tireless and passionate advocate for the program. When the school was desperate for classroom space after a school burned to the ground, she converted a school bus into a mobile classroom to save the program from being cut. She retired from her 42-year teaching career and remained close to education working as a consultant for the school system. She was active in the community serving as a City Council member, Beta Sigma Phi member and served as Band Booster President while her children were in school. She was a life-long active member of First Baptist Church in Springtown. Annette was preceded in death by her beloved husband, James Burk, her parents; brothers, L. I. Layne, Jr., Donald Lee Layne and Charles Edward Layne; sister, Joyce Eleanor Strowd. Survivors: son, Asa Burk and wife, Alicia; daughter, Cara Jolly and husband, Darin; grandchildren, Elizabeth Thompson and husband, Adam, Aaron Jolly and wife, Alicia; nephew, Dan Layne and wife, Glenda, niece, Paula Martin and husband, Joe, niece,Sharon Blichfeldt and husband, Howard.