Martha Muilenburg Burdick

Martha Ayres Muilenburg was born on November 19, 1949, at Garfield Hospital, Washington, DC and died on July 8, 2023. She grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from Mount Vernon Seminary (HS) in 1967 and attended the University of Tennessee. She met James (Jim) R Burdick, Jr. in 1965, and the two were married on June 12, 1970, in Washington, DC. Shortly after marrying, she became an “Army wife” and raised their three sons while moving 11 times over 22 years. In March 1977, she asked the Lord to be her Savior. Martha and Jim, who later asked the Lord to be his Savior in June, 1977, testify that, if it were not for this significant event in their lives, they would not have been married long. Their faith in Jesus made them faithful to their marriage. Martha had a deep devotion to the Lord and drew her strength from that relationship. Her deepest impact was made in the lives of her three sons as she prayerfully shaped their lives by her example, wisdom, and teaching in the lovely home she made for her family.

Over the decades of service, she reached thousands of children and adults as she faithfully taught children’s Sunday school, worked in the nursery, served as a deaconess, and was a Child Evangelism teacher to children in apartments and neighborhoods, involving her own sons. She also shared what Jesus had done in her life at numerous regional Christian Women’s Club luncheons and served as the President of the European chapter of the Christian Women's Club while living in Germany. Martha blessed her family and others she interacted with as they experienced her love for people, sincerity, willingness to share the plan of salvation, care for practical needs, and constant and faithful prayer. Martha’s kind-hearted love was often expressed in generosity, food, monetary help, and even sharing her home with people who were down and out, homeless, or broken.

She is preceded in death by her father, Dr. Robert Muilenburg, and mother, Dr. Frances Ayers. She is survived by her two sisters, Lynn Crytzer and Terry Muilenburg; her brothers, Robert Muilenburg and Steve Geldner; her husband, Jim Burdick; three sons, Brent Burdick, Benjamin Burdick (Angela), and Matthew Burdick; and six grandchildren, Haylee Burdick, Blythe Burdick, Katelyn Burdick, Houston Burdick, Anna Burdick, and Sophia Burdick; and two nephews, Lucus DeGraw and Andrew Crytzer and two nieces, Sarah Muilenburg and Christine Adams, and a brother, Todd Muilenburg. Tiffiny Scott (mother of Houston and Haylee Burdick).

Visitation is at 10 am and the funeral service at 11 am on July 15, 2023. A reception will follow the services which will be held at Grace Church, 8701 E Brown Road, Mesa, AZ 85207. Burial will follow on Monday, July 17, 2023 at 1:30 pm at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona located at 23029 North Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ 85024. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Phoenix Hospice of the Valley would be appreciated. https://www.hov.org/donate/

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AdvantageMelcherRoses.com for the Burdick family.