Wanda Lou Drake Burnette

Wanda Lou Drake Burnette left her earthly home on March 5, 2021, at the age of 94. Born in Clovis, New Mexico on January 10, 1927, to Glynn Walter Drake and Billie Claudine Rivers Drake, the family returned to Texas where Wanda would always remain a “loud and proud” Longhorn fan. Wanda graduated from Austin High School, maintaining a regular lunch bunch with her AHS sorority sisters and friends for seventy-five years. She attended the University of Texas before marrying Bobby West Burnette, the enduring love of her life, in 1949.

Bobby and Wanda were among the first to build in Northwest Hills, where this vivacious woman who could ‘light up any room she entered’ found more joy in new neighbors who also would become lifelong friends, just as did many of her bank customers through her energetic shepherding of numerous Great Expectations events at City National Bank and its later successors First City Bank of Austin and Frost Bank. Wanda was a long-time member of St. Mathew’s Episcopal Church, a founding member of the Northwest Hills Garden Club, a former docent at the Texas Governor’s Mansion, and a former Board Member of both St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and the Austin History Center.

Wanda was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, whom she tragically lost after only 27 years of marriage. She was her family’s biggest and unstinting cheerleader, and memories are cherished by children Bob Burnette, Kevin Burnette (wife Patricia), and Kelly Burnette Bumpass (husband Mark); five beloved grandchildren, in whom her love will live on, Kaylan Drake Burnette (husband Jake Fellner), Constance Callen Burnette, Anna Grace Burnette, Laura Lain Burnette, and Robert Warren Bumpass; sister, Susan Rivers Drake White; niece Elizabeth Long Voell, nephew Jonathan Rivers Long, 1 great niece and 2 great nephews.

Strong, spirited, resilient, loving, and of abiding Christian faith, Wanda lived a full life. The family offers heartfelt thanks to true angels on earth, Davidica, Josephine, Clara, Detra, Gina, Lourdes, and Vivian, caregivers at the Campbell Center of Buckner Villas during this difficult year of isolation. A private graveside service will occur later. The family requests that memorial contributions, if desired, be made to Buckner International, 700 N. Pearl St., Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75201.