Elinor Frances (Sivley) Burditt

The daughter of Dr. Walter R. Sivley and Allie Wilson Sivley, "Nini" as she was known to friends and family, was born in Abilene, Texas on August 2, 1925. She met her lifelong love and future husband, Red Burditt, while attending Alta Vista Elementary School. They would become college sweethearts and later marry on December 27, 1946.

Nini was a graduate of Abilene High School where she was an Abilene Eagle cheerleader and honor student. Following graduation, she remained to work as secretary to the superintendent prior to attending Baylor College where she graduated in 1946. She was elected the May Queen during her senior year.

Following graduation and marriage, she and Red moved to nearby Hamlin, Texas where she was a schoolteacher at Hamlin High School and Red took on his first coaching job as head coach of the Hamlin Pied Pipers. While Red worked with the team, Nini became the sponsor of the Pied Piper Cheerleading squad, mentoring and teaching them to lead spectators in cheers and root for the team. When she arrived, the squad had no uniforms, and Nini not only ordered and fitted each girl, but she also paid for their uniforms.

She and Red moved to coaching positions in Lockhart and Bryan, Texas where they made their final home in 1957 raising their family and enjoying the community of Bryan. She was former Sunday School Teacher at First United Methodist Church, a volunteer at St. Joseph's Hospital, and a former member of the Bryan Woman's Club.

Nini was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Jesse "Red" Newton Burditt, Jr.; her parents; her sister Earlene Sivley Brown of Abilene, Texas; her brother W. Rufus Sivley of Abilene, Texas; her daughter-in-law Deborah Sue Robinson Burditt of Bryan, Texas; and brother-in-law Tom C. Burditt of Abilene, Texas.

She is survived by her two sons: Jesse Newton Burditt, III, of Bryan, Texas; and Charles Bryan Burditt and wife Pamela Diane Burditt of Conroe, Texas. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren: Kimberly Anne Burditt of Carlsbad, California; Bethlyn Burditt and husband Randall Mason of Bryan, Texas; Bryan Colin Burditt and wife Teri Nicole Burditt of Cypress, Texas; Christen Anne Burditt of Houston, Texas; 5 grandchildren: Cassandra Elizabeth Burditt Mason and Jesse Connolly Burditt Mason of Bryan, Texas; Charles Braeden Burditt, Madeleine Grace Burditt and Owen Brooks Burditt of Cypress, Texas; sister-in-law Frances Burditt; as well as nieces Gayle Brown Hanson, Leigh Burditt Daniels, and nephews Jeff Brown, David Sivley, Roger Sivley and Mark Sivley.

Nini was an avid gardener who enjoyed not only growing plants, but also starting landscapes over from scratch with a fresh approach to the outdoors. She loved her puppies and enjoyed watching animals of all types. She had an interest and curiosity in many endeavors, particularly in art and science. She studied birds, plants, bugs and butterflies. She loved to draw and paint, to sketch and and re-sketch, to plan and implement (but only very slowly). In her younger years, she enjoyed golf with her friends, antiquing about town and country, and developing one-on-one relationships with students from A&M who worked in the yard. She enjoyed playing the piano and organ, watching tennis and golf tournaments on TV, and football games with Red on Saturday afternoons. A member of First United Methodist Church, after Nini's health declined, she watched church on the television every Sunday morning, enjoying a variety of preaching styles and faiths. She loved the Lord and knew she would one day reside in her final home with loved ones past in Heaven.