Memorial services for Lana Sue Burks, 66, of Chickasha, will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday September 12th, at Parkview Christian Church in Chickasha, OK.
Lana Sue Burks was born August 20, 1954 in Belleville, Illinois to Joseph Delmar Strait and Neva Lorraine Felix. She went to be with the Lord on September 5, 2020 in Chickasha, Oklahoma.
In her childhood, she moved around the country because her father was in the United States Air Force and worked for Boeing. They lived in Illinois, Seattle, Altus, OK, and finally settled in Haysville and Wichita, Kansas.
Her grandparents, George and Gertrude Felix, owned a farm in Nash, OK which was acquired during one of the Oklahoma Land Runs. She visited them every summer as a child. It was there that she was taught to respect and love animals, nature and reading. All of which she did her entire life. She was always around or owned dogs, cats, birds, turtles, fish, snakes, horses, etc. and she was always surrounded by books.
She graduated from Campus High School in Haysville, KS and attended Friends University in Wichita. She met Steven Burks at a Lay Witness Mission weekend revival and they were married May 27, 1973 in Haysville, KS. They attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater together before moving to Columbia, Missouri where their son Jesse was born. In Columbia she worked for the University of Missouri as a secretary for one of the college professors.
In 1980 an oilfield job for Steve brought them to the area of Chickasha, OK where their daughter Sara was later born.
Lana worked for Grady Memorial Hospital in medical records and as a medical transcriptionist. She also owned a home daycare for several years.
She then decided to go back and finish her college degree. She graduated from USAO in Chickasha with a Bachelors in Elementary Education, the University of Oklahoma with a Masters in Human Relations and went on to obtain her LPC counseling license. She worked for many years as a licensed mental health counselor in and around Chickasha until her health declined. During this time, she helped many, many clients, in particular youth & their families, with mental health, which was her passion.
She was an active member of Parkview Christian Church in Chickasha and for years taught numerous children the love she had for Jesus. She also loved music and singing about the joy she had in him.
She loved her family deeply and especially enjoyed being with her children and grandchildren, which were her pride and joy!
She was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Steven Burks, son, Jesse Burks, daughter, Sara Dean and her husband James (Matthew) Dean, two grandchildren, Lilah Elise Dean and James (Hudson) Dean – all of Chickasha, OK. Two brothers, Kenny Strait and Clinton Strait, both of Wichita, Kansas. Father-in-law Wayne Burks of Chickasha. Sister-in-law Vickie Brinlee & husband Larry, of Edmond, OK. Brother-in law Randy Burks of OKC, OK and several nephews and nieces.
The family graciously asks any attendee to wear a mask, especially if giving out hugs. If you don’t have one, you’ll be given one at the door.
In lieu of flowers the family asks you to make a donation to Friends Fur Change in Chickasha, your local Humane Society, or toward mental health awareness, in her honor. If you must send something, live plants only please.
Services and cremation arrangements are under the direction of Ferguson Funeral Home.