Kitty Jo Burton
April 10, 1962 - January 9, 2023
Kitty Jo Burton, age 60, of New Prague, died unexpectedly on Monday, January 9, 2023 at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital New Prague. Kitty Jo was born on April 10, 1962 in Billings, Montana to James and Agatha (Roehrich) Eckman. The family moved during her childhood, first to San Jose, CA and ended up in Brooklyn Center, MN where she graduated from Brooklyn Center High School. Kitty Jo was working at Country Kitchen, where a young man also employed there caught her eye. Dan Burton met her in the break room and it was apparently kismet for both of them! Kitty Jo wanted to go to prom and Dan was smitten and asked her if she liked hockey, to which she enthusiastically replied that she loved hockey (she would end up falling asleep at the hockey game!) They made a date to attend a Minnesota Northstars game but prom was happening before the date and Dan wasn’t taking her hints about prom so she finally came out and asked him! The love story was cemented when they married first by crossing the border into Wisconsin (since Dan was only 17) and getting married there, then formalized it the next day on June 21, 1980 in North Minneapolis at the “official” ceremony! Kitty Jo would go on to own and operate an insurance agency in addition to raising her two children.
Kitty Jo and Dan both retired in 2012 and then used their time to travel extensively, hitting all continents except Greenland and Africa, even seeing the penguins on Antarctica. Kitty Jo was a “California girl” at heart, hated the snow and cold and loved wintering in California. She maintained strong friendships with her California friends, enjoyed playing Mahjong, had a special gift at interior decorating, and loved cruises. Her greatest love, however, was for her children and grandchildren, enjoying nothing more than the time spent with them. She left a legacy of strength and determination for them, being known as one of the “strongest women I know.”
Kitty Jo is survived by her devoted husband, Dan of New Prague; children, Josh (Michelle) Burton of Elko and Cassy (Chris) Youngdale of Overland, KS; grandchildren, Josiah and Garrett Burton, Eli, Zade, & Jacob Youngdale, Ashleigh Olsen, & Jessica Foster; great-grandchild, Jackson Wetterstrom; mother, Agatha Eckman of Phoenix, AZ; sisters, Anna (Philip “Butch”) Kimpling of Phoenix, AZ & Judy Hartenstein of Green, OR; mother-in-law, Carole Davis of Brooklyn Center, MN. She is preceded in death by her father, Jim Eckman.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Bruzek Funeral Home in New Prague with Reverend Ben Hilding officiating. Visitation will take place beginning at 10:00 AM.
Kitty was my oldest cousin and I will hold the memories in my heart . I love you . You up there with your dad and mine and sweet cousin Joan , I will miss you and until we all meet again in heaven . Prayers for Dan , Josh and Cassie . May God comfort you in this sad time . Praying for you .
Judy hartenstein I love kitty very much I am pray I am really miss kitty I love Joshua and classy too
I wish I could of talked to you one last time before you had passed you may not of always been there but you were there for me in times of need you were a sober support to me and I’m grateful that u were there for me n to see my recovery I love and miss u aunt
I’m one of the California girls but live in Nevada now we went on cruises and met In Las Vegas she was funny loyal and a strong person she will be missed but never gotten love ya
Family and friends,
We were absolutely heart broken when we received the call. Kitty and I met when we shared the same 6th grade class and she cried happy tears when we got our first snow fall that year. Then the family joined the same Church and a group of us became life long friends. We were confirmed together, graduated together. Weddings, started families. So many memories.
Love and prayers to all.
Ma, miss you.
My prayers and thoughts go out to Dan and the family. God bless and comfort you in the days to come.
My love and prayers to my Auntie Aggie and My cousins Annie and Judy . So sorry for your loss.
I will always love my cousin Kitty and will miss her. Cherish the good memories. Sending love to all her children and grandchildren and her husband Dan . I’m so sorry for your loss. Love and prayers.
I am so thankful we got closer in the last couple of years. I think about my trip to come and see you in California in March 2022 and I think about it very often and how much fun we both had. Lots of wonderful memories from that trip. I miss you and I am grateful to have had you in my life for more than over 40 years.
So sorry for your loss. Our prayers and thoughts are with you.
So sorry. Prayers are with you.
You took a piece of my heart with you little girl, and I will love you and miss you forever.
Kitty was a great neighbor in California. We worked on many projects together. She was a fun traveling companion and a great Samba player. We’ll miss you Kitty. It will never be the same with you gone. Randy and I will treasure the memories. We just didn’t have enough time with you,
Our thoughts and prayers go out to your family, Dan.
Kitty was one heck of a card player! She will be missed.
Kitty being the oldest Neice She had the pleasure of Babysiting Cousions(maybe not a Pleasure for Her), Rick, And Bruce did’nt like the rules, Kitty will be missed by all, We love You so much,
You, will be missed, love You so much,
Kitty was loved by her California friends and we will miss her.
Love and prayers go our to her family
I LOVE YOU MY BEAUTIFUL GIRL AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE WITH ME IN MY HEART
Fred and I are so sorry to hear of your great loss!! May the Lord pour out His love, mercy & comfort!
I’m one of the California girls but live in Nevada now. We went on cruises and met In Vegas she was one of my best friends kind an loyal. She will be missed dearly. Prayers to her family love ❤️.
Dan, So sorry for your loss, thoughts and prayers to you and your family!