Rozella Virginia (Ganzer) Burnham

Our mother, Rozella Virginia Ganzer Burnham, known as Virginia, quietly passed away November 10, 2023. She was born July 7, 1927, in Denton, Texas to Mary Helen Trietsch and Andrew Frank Ganzer. She grew up in many towns in Texas because work was hard to find in the depression era. When she was nine years old, her family welcomed a baby brother who was named Andrew Jr. 

She attended several schools and after graduation she joined the United States Cadet Nurses Corps to become a nurse, as there was a shortage of nurses because of the war. She met a young glider pilot at the South Plains Army Air Base named Elmer C. Burnham.  About one year later they were married in Clovis, New Mexico.  Two days later they began the trip back to Lovell, Wyoming, where Elmer was employed at the U. S. Post Office.

Through the years they were blessed with five children, three girls and two boys. Virginia worked as a full-time wife and mother. She also worked as a nurse’s aide at the hospital and later worked in medical records.  After several years she was forced to retire due to medical issues. 

She was a faithful convert of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Virginia and Elmer and family were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1950.  She remained very true and faithful throughout her life and served the Lord in any way she could. This was so important to her.  Some of her many callings in the church include Relief Society President, teachers in the primary, Sunday school, MIA, and genealogy director.  Her favorite pastime was doing family history work and genealogy.  She loved to attend the temple and she and Elmer served a temple mission in Texas.  She always taught her family about the gospel principles and about the Savior. The gospel was always in her thoughts and actions.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Elmer, her parents Andrew and Helen, and her brother, Andrew Jr.  She is survived by her five children: Carolyn (Brent) Tirrell, Alan Burnham, Sandra (Dan) Bush, Charlotte Armstrong (John Armstrong), and Scott Burnham. She is also survived by numerous grand-children: Gary (Samantha) Tirrell, Steve (Stasia) Tirrell, Dena (Brian) Hoffman, Jodi (Charlie) Strom, Troy Teter, Tiffany (Nevada) Drennan, Travis (Julie) Teter, Kari (Jim) Coyle, Keela (Brock) Meier, Jeffrey Armstrong, numerous, great-grand-children, and great great-grand-children, and sister-in-law Ruby Ganzer.

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