Suitberta C. Burdick, 86, of Fidelity, Kansas, died Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at the Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha.

Suitberta was born October 22, 1920 on a farm south of Fidelity, Kansas, the daughter of Joseph W. and Elizabeth Buser Rochel. She attended St. Augustine’s Grade School, then Fairview High School for three years, and graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in St. Marys, Kansas in 1939.

She lived with Mrs. Conrad Wempe in St. Marys while studying at Immaculate Conception. Her father died in 1940, and Suitberta stayed on the family farm to help her mother.

In December 1941, she moved to St. Louis, Missouri with her sister Margaret and began work for the midwestern area office of the American Red Cross. During this time, Suitberta took volunteer training with the Red Cross for nursing and worked at City Hospital in St. Louis. She then worked for the United States Cartridge Company in St. Louis as a secretary until April 15, 1943; the company made ammunition for the war effort during WWII.

She married Leonard H. Burdick on April 28, 1943 at St. Bede’s Church in Kelly, Kansas. They lived and worked on the Ray Deaver farm southeast of Sabetha until January of 1945 when they moved to the Rochel homestead where they currently lived.

Suitberta worked as a nurses’ aide at the Sabetha Hospital from September 15, 1966 until her retirement on November 1, 1985. She thoroughly enjoyed working with and helping the patients in the hospital. She also worked with her husband Leonard on the family farm and each year raised a large garden and canned numerous fruits and vegetables.

She was a member of St. Augustine Church in Fidelity and the St. Ann Altar Society at the church.

Survivors besides her husband Leonard of the home are two sons, Robert Burdick and Lenny Burdick Jr., both of Fairview, Kansas; three daughters, Elizabeth Anne Olberding of Leavenworth, Kansas, Mary Rottinghaus of Seneca, and Lila Brown of Meridian, Idaho; a sister, Sr. Mary Lawrence O.L.V.N. of Huntington, Indiana; 27 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Leona Shepherd on February 28, 1996; her grandson, Capt. Andrew J. Olberding on February 22, 1996, and her grandson, Adam H. Burdick on April 28, 1996. She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Fr. Joe Rochel and Fr. Tony Rochel S.J.; and sisters, Margaret Haug, Rosalia Broxterman, Sr. Walberg Rochel O.S.B., Clara M. Buessing, Sr. Cyprian Rochel O.S.J.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM Saturday, September 22, at St. Augustine Church in Fidelity. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM on Friday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca, with family and friends visiting for one hour before the rosaries.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Benedictine Sisters at Atchison, and sent in care of the family.