Name: Berry Funeral Home
Address: Knoxville, TN

im so sorry to hear of your loss  Its a loss to everyone who knew her.  She is free of the pain and in Gods hands.  My prayers are with you and your family

i knew catherine for just over 2 years when i joined pogo after the death of my mom to cancer we would talk every morning in hog heaven slots she welcomed me into her group of friends and would share all that was going on in our lives the good and the bad i am going to miss her my prayers go to bruce and the family    love to you all     patricia(debs6411)lowe yorkshire england

Dear Catherine was a good friend in Pogo and mail going to and fro there.I will miss you my dear friend, but I am glad you are at peace now. My condolences to you all there, she was a kind, courageous, and funny lady, who made us laugh and smile.  God Bless, Helena

I am sorry to hear of Violetz passing. We became good friends while playing on Pogo. She always had an encouraging word and was a ray of sunshine to me during some of my darkest hours. She will be missed.

Sweet Vi,  (Catherine)
May you rest in the arms of our dear Father and Savior. Your fight was courageous and we will all miss you. May God comfort your family with the beautiful memories of your smiling face. Love to my friend,

as i knowed catherine as vio she was one of the sweetest ladies in the world. we will miss and love you

Catherine and her family,
Thank you for being my friend. You are going to be missed by a lot of people of whom lives you touched. May God grant peace to your family help them to remember the good times spent with you. 
Love and 
Prayers to you all 
Elizabeth Fujii Hensley

To my family in TN, I wish I could be there with you at this time, but you are all in our thoughts and prayers.  I didn't get to talk to Catherine as much as I would have liked but, I did chat with her some on Facebook.  I will miss her and her great laugh, but she is with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now, as well as her Mom and Susie and Frank and her crazy Daddy.  I love you all.
David

Although Catherine and I spent four years and graduated together at Bearden, it was during her illness that I began to feel a sweet sisterhood with her as we shared prayer requests with each other for matters close to our hearts. I will miss those conversations and the witness of her deep, abiding faith.  She was a special and loving person and will be sincerely missed by so many.  Gail Kelly Bruner, BHS '65, Knoxville, Tennessee

Catherine and I were friends for 4 years at Bearden High School.  Although we were never "best friends," I remember being involved with her in classes and other activities, and she was always kind and funny, and fun to be around.  I am sure you have many wonderful memories of that same Catherine and that you will miss her always.  It is comforting to know that she is resting now, reunited with loved ones who have gone before, and free from pain and suffering.  Trust in God's promise that we will all meet again some day.  Your family will be in my prayers.
Ann Chiles Ridley, BHS '65 (Knoxville, TN)

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

To the family of Catherine Burkey please accept our condolences We hold a special place in our hearts for our cousin she will always be remembered Love you all  

Cousins Pat, Wayne,and Wendy

My thoughts and prayers are with my family for whom I can not be with during this celebration of my sweet and loving cousin Catherine, She has always been special to me, the whole family matter of fact I love them all. Our family was very close I remember spending our summers together, our moms were sisters and they always were laughing and I know in my heart now they are all together laughing. Im going to miss our phone convertions we had once or twice a month. She always knew what to say and as did I. We knew what each other was going through and we always said prayers for each other. Im not sure what i'll do now without her but I know she and the rest of loved ones that have passed will be watching over us. Catherine, you talked to me you prayed for me and you were not just my cousin but you were my friend. you will always be in my thoughts and my heart i love you and i'll will miss you but we will be together soon and we will celebrate our life eternally God bless this family and I love you all.....

Jimmy

My heart goes out to the loved ones of my childhood friend, Catherine Stewart Burkey. She was such a loving and giving lady, we will all miss her terribly. 

It's hard to believe that 1958 is so far away. I vividly recall moving from Nashville to Knoxville and suddenly being befriended by an amazing group of kids that attended Rocky Hill Elementary School (my first public school ever!). We would all congregate on the "ballfield" (an empty lot) next to the Stewart's home where Catherine and I would play hardball with the boys. Still have a dent in my forehead from one Autumn afternoon adventure. We played hide and seek on bikes (girls would get a headstart and pedal off and hide and the boys would take off behind us). Lots of forest underbrush around North Shore and the neighborhoods at that time. We were literally the merry men of North Shore Woods! We spent a LOT of time climbing trees, carving our names in trees and reading..hoping the boughs would not break. When Catherine and I were not being Tomboys, we were trying to master all the latest dances on American Bandstand. I seem to recall a little brother that would laugh and put his body into contortionist positions to one up our barefoot bop concoctions. We really wanted to try out our dancing skills in front of the "jukebox on the hill" whenever we went swimming at Concord Park. Seems we were constantly active and raising money the typical way kids do: carport neighborhood show for a quarter, washing someone's carport for a quarter, selling lemonade and cookies for...a quarter. No nickel and dime stuff for us!SOMETIMES we could get a dollar for washing someone's car. It's a wonder the neighbors EVER opened their doors when we came a-knocking. 

The Moms in our neighborhood mothered us all and Catherine's Mom carried out that role beautifully when we took a trip to the Smokey Mountains. What a day she was having! One child falls several feet to some rocks below and moi decided to try opening a coke bottle as the car door was closing. Glass everywhere and it tore open my foot. We drove back to Knoxville to our doctor's office while Catherine was helping me staunch the blood and trying to keep me from being scared. Hmmmm, the beginning signs of a wonderful mother herself. Her Mom got the worst of it though when I had to have a shot to numb my foot for the stitches. My fingerprints were probably embedded in her hand for weeks. It's amazing how three years before high school can be so memorable. I loved Catherine so much and am so happy that her family gave her such joy...her children, her grandchildren and a husband that walked on water. I have never meet you Mr. Burkey, but I know Catherine will introduce you to me someday. You have to know how special you and her family were to her...and how grateful she was for your love and support. God was her joy and strength and I am not suprised to find that she was on the bereavement committee at her church. She had gone through some painful separations from loved ones herself and she gracefully gave herself to others who needed help walking down that road. As one octagenarian once told me, "death is a part of life". We are here on earth to learn about the grace and acceptance that Christ came to offer us. As we come closer to meeting Him face to face, God prepares our minds and spirits and assures us that He is with us every step of the way. He has saved all of our tears of joy and sorrow. Catherine is now blessed with the fountain of eternal life. The memories of her will forever flow through my mind.

With love to all of Catherine's family,
Cindy Robertson Greene

THE SON OF THE DAY by Cindy Greene

Blessings of branches invite us to trade... 
the weight of the world for a nap in the shade.... 
Surrender to sleep is a challenge to feet...
that are fervantly walking iin places too steep.

Their canvasing colors parade through the flight
of confetti-like leaves celebrating the light.
This arbor of splendor brings hope through the gray
of shadows illumined by hovering sprays.

Soft blanketing limbs that comfort and bear
a cloth that was woven to tater and tear.
Commitments laid down, seem to alter the way
of communion and praise for the Son of the Day.

An innocent lamb gently burdened with peace.
Covered with blood: on his head, in his fleece.
Trees gnarly and bent lean to honor the babe
who was swaddled with Grace in a well-guarded grave.

He penetrates lives while he shatters the stone
of uncertain hearts that fear going home.
Sheltered by faith and a blind canopy,
we flow tthrough the light of the clear, crystal sea.

Pavillions of glory, cotillions to pray.
A fountain of tears that our God sweetly saved.
A blessing of branches to honor and praise.
A blanket of love from the SOn of the Day.

Bruce and family,
Catherine was so special to me and I loved her as you know.  My love and prayers are with you, sweet Bruce, Monica, Earic, Bill and all the grandchildren. Charlotte

What a life to celebrate! Catherine was a beautiful person, inside and outside. My heart is selfishly sad but I know Heaven is rejoicing her homecoming.

OBITUARY

Catherine Burkey

July 6, 1947 – August 7, 2011

Berry Funeral Home

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