Jean Elizabeth Eldridge

Graveside services for Jean Elizabeth Karstens Burbage Eldridge will be 3pm Saturday October 1, 2016 at Killeen City Cemetery in Killeen. Jean was born March 8, 1927 in Chicago, IL to William Karstens and Ada Jons Karstens. Jean graduated from high school as salutatorian in Elkton, SD in 1943. Jean won a scholarship through the US Army to earn her Registered Nursing Degree. She graduated from Sioux Valley School of Nursing in Sioux Falls, SD in 1947. She was a 1LT in the Army at Aberdeen Proving Grounds when she met and married CPL Charles W. Burbage in January 1952. To this union two children were born, Charles W. Burbage in 1953 and Kathy Burbage Westerfield in 1956. Jean worked as a registered nurse wherever the Burbage family was stationed. She retired from civil service in 1988 after working 35 years primarily as an ICU nurse and then ended her career as a labor and delivery nurse to prepare for her first and only grandchild. Jean enjoyed playing cards, traveling anywhere John R. would take her, being active at Grace Lutheran, shopping, reading, and spending time with her daughter, granddaughter and extended family. Jean had a good sense of humor and made everyone around her laugh. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Charles W. Burbage in 1980, brother Jon Karstens in 1999 and beloved son-in-law Paul Westerfield in 2011. Jean married John R. Eldridge in 1994. Jean is survived by her husband John R. Eldridge, son Charles W. Burbage of Polo, Missouri, daughter Kathy Westerfield of Killeen, TX, granddaughter Shelley Westerfield of Fort Worth, TX, sister in law Mildred Karstens of Livermore, CA, step daughters Jonnie Wood of Killeen, Jeri Wykes of Killeen, Linda Gallowayof Belton and Betty Shupp of Rockwall, TX. "Jeanie Girl" will be sorely missed.