Marion R. Burkhart

Marion Rose Burkhart, 97, passed away at Keystone Villa, Ephrata, March 2, 2021. Born in Ephrata to the late Elmer Roussey and Carrie (Smith) Roussey, Marion is survived by two children, Dan Burkhart and wife Diane of Plano, Tx.; Sue Rettew and husband Brad of Akron, Pa.; two grandchildren, Laura Stehr of Reinholds, and Chad Rettew and wife Arlene of Forest, Va.; two great-grandchildren Kate Stehr and Alison Rettew. She was preceded in death by husband of 54 years, Isaac G. Burkhart Jr., sister Yvonne Algier, and brother Jack Roussey. She was employed by D & E Telephone Co. as an operator, and later Fleet Air Shoe Co. as a receptionist. She loved her life-long hometown of Ephrata, and was an avid bird watcher, stargazer, bowler, and played tennis in high school. In 12 years of school, she was proud that she never missed a day. “Gram” didn’t worry about a thing and no matter what, she was always happy. When you’d come in to her State Street home, you’d always hear a “Yoo-hoo!” from somewhere as her way of welcoming whoever came to visit. In the evenings, you know she’d be enjoying her ice cream sundae piled high with her favorite toppings – not to forget the salty, dark potato chips, while enjoying Jeopardy on TV, or listening to Frank Sinatra on her Bose radio. At night, she would look out the window and sneak a peek at the moon and the starry night sky. One of her favorite activities was her visits to local grocery stores to get her weekly groceries, including her cinnamon rolls with “extra schmutz.” She especially enjoyed “seeing all the people.” Meeting new people was easy for her – she was the friendliest person who always had a great big smile on her face. Trips to Long Beach Island were a summer favorite – and seeing Barnegat Lighthouse was a must. She enjoyed watching the waves and indulging in her favorite beverages, a Gin and Tonic or a Pussy Cat. She left a lasting impression on people – with her positive attitude and great outlook on every situation she faced. Losing Gram is hard and we will grieve the loss everyday – but as Gram would say… “Hey, that’s show biz.” We’re so thankful to have had the great fortune of being the family of this very special and unforgettable lady. We’ve never met anyone more positive, more innately happy, or more interested in talking to everyone. She cultivated in us a love of star gazing, an interest in bird watching, an appreciation of travel, and introduced us to the simple yet important mantra to enjoy each moment of each day. We will do our best to perpetuate these values in her honor. Love is never lost – it transcends time and space. She is loved so very much by so many and always will be. Services will be private at the convenience of the family and are under the care of Paul L. Gravenor Home For Funerals, Ephrata, PA.