Diantha Lee (Myers) Burks

Diantha Lee (Myers) Burks, 91, of Springfield, Missouri, was born in Lebanon, Missouri, to Luther and Frankie Myers.

Diantha was preceded in death by her husband, Willim Lawrence Burks; her daughter, Dana Potter; her parents, Luther and Frankie Myers; and her stepmother, Louise Myers.

She is survived by her sons, Kenny Burks and his wife, Tammy, and Shawn Burks; her grandchildren, Nicole Potter and Taylor Potter and his wife, Hannah; her sisters, Donna Woodman, Glenda Findley, and Norma Marlay; her sister-in-law, Barbara Ince; as well as many stepbrothers and stepsisters and several beloved nieces and nephews.

As a young woman, Diantha worked at the Greyhound Bus Station and at Taylor’s Drive-In during the Korean War era. But the role that mattered most throughout her life was being a mother.

Diantha was a wonderful mother who knew that some of the best memories could be made from the simplest things. She delighted in taking her children blackberry picking, heading into the woods to cut down their own Christmas tree, and finding creative ways to make ordinary days special – including making candles together rom melted crayons.

She was especially devoted to making sure her son Shawn had a full and active life. Diantha was involved for many years with Shawn’s Special Olympics activities and faithfully took him to his bowling league. The bowling alley became a familiar place for the two of them, where everyone seemed to know Diantha and Shawn. It was more than something on the calendar – it was part of their life together, filled with friendships, familiar faces, and a community they both enjoyed.

She filled her children’s lives with other things that stayed with them, too. Her family remembers the poems and little verses she would recite, including one about a chickadee who wasn’t bothered by the winter cold:

“The North wind is cold,

As cold can be,

But I am not afraid,”

Says the chickadee

And anyone lucky enough to have tasted it knew she made the best pig pickin’ cake around.

Her children will remember a mother who gave them a childhood filled not with elaborate things, but with adventures, traditions, creativity, and the kind of memories that stay with you for a lifetime.

In accordance with Diantha’s wishes, no funeral service will be held.

Her family will remember her in countless little ways – in blackberry patches and Christmas trees, homemade candles and pig pickin’ cake, in the sound of bowling pins falling, and perhaps whenever a chickadee appears on a cold winter day.