Chris Burgess
April 30, 1949 — October 6, 2013
Services: 10:00 a.m. Thursday, October 10, 2013 at Pfannebecker Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa
Visitation: 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at Pfannebecker Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa
Burial: Crawford Heights Memory Gardens in Denison, Iowa
Memorials may be made to Crawford County Area Hospice.
Cheryl Christine (Chris) Burgess joined her Savior on October 6, 2013 at the age of 64 after a long and courageous battle with lung cancer. There was a visitation on Wednesday, October 9th from 4 to 7 pm at Pfannebecker Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa. Funeral services were held at Pfannebecker Funeral Home on Thursday morning at 10, followed by interment at Crawford Heights Memory Gardens and a luncheon at Grace Evangelical Free Church. Pallbearers included family members and friends Steve McKee, Mark Bilsten, Gerrad Elliott, Brian Heithoff, Ryan Johnson, and Nathan Clark. Honorary pallbearers included all of Chris’ nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. Chris was born on April 30, 1949 to Fred (Bus) and Bette (Bets) Behn. She began her education in country schools is Hamlin, Iowa. She then attended high school in Audubon, Iowa; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Denver, Colorado; Atlantic, Iowa; and Griswold, Iowa where she graduated in 1967. She later studied accounting at American Institute of Business in Des Moines, Iowa. Chris was united in marriage to Scott Burgess on October 17, 1982 in Denison. Together, they raised two sons, Tobin and Jamey, and in 1991 added Jesus, a foreign exchange student from Monterey, Mexico to the family. Chris was employed as a secretary and accountant for several companies, including Farmland Industries in Denison. Her love for the outdoors led her to open her own greenhouse business – Timeless Gardens – where she grew, dried, and arranged flowers and herbs. Working alongside her husband, she was an invaluable partner in Burgess Wood Floors. She carried the business from behind the scenes, contributing to the financial, organizational and physical aspects of every project. In her younger days, Chris was a bowler and an avid golfer. Throughout her life, she dearly loved the outdoors, earning the title of master gardener. The most common place to find Chris was in her garden, her greenhouse, or her drying room. She loved to take long walks in the rain, and it was not uncommon for her to walk two miles to work in the snow. Of all the things Chris did, she most enjoyed serving the Lord, studying scripture, and being active in church. She served for 6 years as an elder and for 1 year as a deacon at the United Presbyterian Church in Denison. She taught Sunday school for 12 years and also worked with the youth group. She was most recently a member of Grace Evangelical Free Church, and was looking forward to returning to her post as a Sunday school teacher. Chris held in her heart great love and genuine care for all those she met, especially the younger ones. She blessed all those around her by being a model of Christ and acting on the two greatest commandments: to love the Lord, and to love her neighbors. Chris is survived by her loving husband Scott; sons Jamey Bengfort, Tobin Burgess, and Jesus Robledo; daughters-in-law Dina Bengfort, Jenny Burgess, and Georgina Pena; sisters Julie Behn and Shelli (Mark) Groat; mother-in-law Fran Burgess; sister-in-law Kim (Curt) Heithoff; nieces Amy Behn, Shannon Crouse, Tania (Gerrad) Elliott, Christina Crouse, Tiffany Groat, Emily (Nathan) Clark, and Danielle Law; nephews Matt Groat, Brian Heithoff, and Ryan Johnson; grandchildren Nick and Ashley Fitzgerald, Jacob and Breanna Bengfort, and Taevin, Cason, and Ayla Burgess; and great grandchild Kaylee Boron. She is also survived by multitudes of church and community friends who she loved and cared for like family. Chris was preceded in death by her parents Bus and Bets Behn, father-in-law Don Burgess, brother Roger Behn, and nephew Cory Laver.
Visitation: 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at Pfannebecker Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa
Burial: Crawford Heights Memory Gardens in Denison, Iowa
Memorials may be made to Crawford County Area Hospice.
Cheryl Christine (Chris) Burgess joined her Savior on October 6, 2013 at the age of 64 after a long and courageous battle with lung cancer. There was a visitation on Wednesday, October 9th from 4 to 7 pm at Pfannebecker Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa. Funeral services were held at Pfannebecker Funeral Home on Thursday morning at 10, followed by interment at Crawford Heights Memory Gardens and a luncheon at Grace Evangelical Free Church. Pallbearers included family members and friends Steve McKee, Mark Bilsten, Gerrad Elliott, Brian Heithoff, Ryan Johnson, and Nathan Clark. Honorary pallbearers included all of Chris’ nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. Chris was born on April 30, 1949 to Fred (Bus) and Bette (Bets) Behn. She began her education in country schools is Hamlin, Iowa. She then attended high school in Audubon, Iowa; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Denver, Colorado; Atlantic, Iowa; and Griswold, Iowa where she graduated in 1967. She later studied accounting at American Institute of Business in Des Moines, Iowa. Chris was united in marriage to Scott Burgess on October 17, 1982 in Denison. Together, they raised two sons, Tobin and Jamey, and in 1991 added Jesus, a foreign exchange student from Monterey, Mexico to the family. Chris was employed as a secretary and accountant for several companies, including Farmland Industries in Denison. Her love for the outdoors led her to open her own greenhouse business – Timeless Gardens – where she grew, dried, and arranged flowers and herbs. Working alongside her husband, she was an invaluable partner in Burgess Wood Floors. She carried the business from behind the scenes, contributing to the financial, organizational and physical aspects of every project. In her younger days, Chris was a bowler and an avid golfer. Throughout her life, she dearly loved the outdoors, earning the title of master gardener. The most common place to find Chris was in her garden, her greenhouse, or her drying room. She loved to take long walks in the rain, and it was not uncommon for her to walk two miles to work in the snow. Of all the things Chris did, she most enjoyed serving the Lord, studying scripture, and being active in church. She served for 6 years as an elder and for 1 year as a deacon at the United Presbyterian Church in Denison. She taught Sunday school for 12 years and also worked with the youth group. She was most recently a member of Grace Evangelical Free Church, and was looking forward to returning to her post as a Sunday school teacher. Chris held in her heart great love and genuine care for all those she met, especially the younger ones. She blessed all those around her by being a model of Christ and acting on the two greatest commandments: to love the Lord, and to love her neighbors. Chris is survived by her loving husband Scott; sons Jamey Bengfort, Tobin Burgess, and Jesus Robledo; daughters-in-law Dina Bengfort, Jenny Burgess, and Georgina Pena; sisters Julie Behn and Shelli (Mark) Groat; mother-in-law Fran Burgess; sister-in-law Kim (Curt) Heithoff; nieces Amy Behn, Shannon Crouse, Tania (Gerrad) Elliott, Christina Crouse, Tiffany Groat, Emily (Nathan) Clark, and Danielle Law; nephews Matt Groat, Brian Heithoff, and Ryan Johnson; grandchildren Nick and Ashley Fitzgerald, Jacob and Breanna Bengfort, and Taevin, Cason, and Ayla Burgess; and great grandchild Kaylee Boron. She is also survived by multitudes of church and community friends who she loved and cared for like family. Chris was preceded in death by her parents Bus and Bets Behn, father-in-law Don Burgess, brother Roger Behn, and nephew Cory Laver.
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