She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Clive Burnett; her siblings, Elaine, Velma, Richard and Sheila.
She was the daughter of Dr. Richard Kelf-Caulker of Sierra Leone, former ambassador to the United States and Britain. She came to the US and was educated at Otterbein University, Ohio and received a BA degree in zoology. She moved to New York and was the first black to graduate from Columbia University School of Nursing and obtained a Master's Degree in Nursing Education.
In 1972 she was the in the first group of candidates to graduate as a family nurse practitioner. She retired from MCV in 2004.
She wrote three novels, The Caulkers of Sierra Leone, Raised by a Village and the Life and Times of the Milo Man, which was based on her husband, Clive's soccer career.
A memorial service will be held at 10am on Saturday, January 18 at St. Matthias Episcopal Church.
