Beatrice Burton

Beatrice Burton

June 6, 1926- December 2, 2023

A Rosary will be held on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 6:00 pm at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 608 N. Church St., Visalia, CA. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, June 12, at 9:00 am at St. Mary's followed by burial at Visalia District Cemetery, 1300 W. Goshen Ave., Visalia. A Celebration of Life luncheon will follow the services at The Hyde, 3200 W Mineral King Ave, Visalia, CA from 11 am to 3 pm. Memorial Tributes and condolences may be offered by logging on to https://www.hadley-marcom.com/obituaries/beatrice-burton

She was our "joy-bringer" as the meaning of her name Beatrice promised. Now, we believe she will bring joy to the angels in heaven. Mom passed peacefully into eternal life on the morning of December 2, 2023, to be with her Creator. 

She lived her 97 years with zest, vigor, and enthusiasm for life. She was still making us smile and laugh up until her last few days. Born Beatrice Borganelli on June 6, 1926, in Shaw, Mississippi, she loved playing basketball for Shaw High School and continued to play on recreational teams into her adult years. Of their Visalia Recreation team, a good friend said, "We had a really HOT basketball team!" After high school, Bea moved to Memphis, TN to attend business college where she also volunteered with the United Service Organization (USO) in support of American service members. Here she met her husband Robert "Bob" Burton of 21 years. She caught his eye at the USO dance hall. He couldn't help but flirt with this pretty young woman— who was not easily smitten. Dad didn't give up, and they married on August 27, 1950, and moved to California where she raised five children— carting three boys to sports events, two girls to dance and music recitals, and all five to school events and church. 

Bea loved to play cards with her pinochle and bridge groups and she played innumerable games of solitaire. She especially loved to go dancing, winning dance awards with her partner. In her retirement years, she danced 2-3 times per week into her 90s and took her daily power walks to keep in shape. She was very proud of her health and stamina. Mom was also proud to work in the medical field holding various administrative positions for several doctors in Visalia. She retired from the Visalia Medical Clinic in 1999 after 11 years with the clinic and 28 years in the field. She was a practicing Catholic and attended St. Mary's Catholic Church. A proud Italian, she enjoyed her participation in the Sons of Italy for many years. 

Beatrice is survived by four of her children, Richard Burton, Barbara Thiele (Chuck), Debora Mize (Brent), and Michael Burton (Sonya); her sisters Gloria Driza and Shirley Wuestenhoefer, a brother Santo J. "Bubba" Borganelli, six grandchildren, Doug Burton, Zachary Mize, Noah Mize, Mallory Burton, Madison Burton, Seth Burton, and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her oldest son Robert Dean Burton, a brother Fred Angelo "F.A." Borganelli, her ex-husband Bob, and a son-in-law Chuck Thiele. Bea, at 97 years young, was admired and loved by many as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. All will miss her greatly. 

A Funeral Mass and Celebration of Life will be announced at a later time. In lieu of flowers, donations to one of Bea's favorite charities: the Visalia Rescue Mission or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital would be greatly appreciated. Services in care of Hadley Marcom Funeral Chapel.