Catherine A. Burlin

Overland Park, KS – Catherine Ann Burlin, 88 of Overland Park, KS passed away on August 31, 2023 at AdventHealth South Overland Park hospital. She was born on December 15, 1934 at her circa 1908 historic home to parents William M. and Eva (McCue) Stephens, Sr of Garden City, KS.  She excelled in music, playing the string bass in orchestra and the bells in the Garden City High School marching band.  Upon graduation from Garden City Junior College she married Robert D. Burlin on November 7, 1954 in Garden City, Kansas.  She became a telephone operator at Southwestern Bell after high school.   After moving to Overland Park, KS she resumed her employment with Southwestern Bell in Operator Services as a Directory Assistance Service Assistant and TSPS Operator until her retirement from AT&T in 1988.  She enjoyed being chief scorekeeper for each of her son’s baseball teams for many years as well as encouraging her daughters to learn to sew and supported their musical talent. Her green thumb provided bountiful varieties of vegetables each season. She was a talented pianist that could shake the rafters while tickling the ivory, had a passion for singing and a love for music. Singing with the Leawood Singers for 10 years, Love in the Afternoon and EncoreKCchorus for the past 4 years brought her tremendous joy and she performed at various nursing homes and charity events. Her brilliant smile could light up a room. She was an avid sports fan…KC Chiefs, KC Royals and her beloved KU Jayhawks basketball team of which she was, perhaps, their greatest cheerleader!  She loved the holidays, especially celebrating birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter with her family. She loved to share dinner gatherings with friends and family, laughing and having a good time!  She will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her 4 children, Tricia (David) Rasavage of Springfield, Oregon, David Burlin of Alpine, California, Kevin (Janelle) Burlin of Stilwell, Kansas and Shawna (Scott) Cheney of Tacoma, Washington, 6 Grandchildren: (Danielle (James) Bonds, Yuma, AZ, Brian Burlin, Alpine, CA, Jacob (Meleah) Burlin, Stilwell, KS, Brianne (Scott) Atteberry, Stilwell, KS, Cara (Joe) Downing, Kirkland, WA, Kate Cheney (Brian Perkins), Tucson, AZ and 10 Great Grandchildren: Alex, Brandon, Pierce, Brett, Alyse, Maisie, Beau, Michael, Aurora, Emrys.

A Memorial Service will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday September 16 at Johnson County Funeral Chapel and Memorial Gardens, 11200 Metcalf, Overland Park. Reception with catered lunch following service.

In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Catherine Burlin may be made to www.EncoreKC.org