Obituary of Hazel S. Burris

Coffeyville - Hazel S. Burris, 92, of Coffeyville, passed away Sunday night (March 18, 2007) at Coffeyville Regional Medical Center. Hazel was born August 7, 1914 in rural Jefferson, Montgomery County, Kansas to Walter and Eda Frances (Cox) Shockey. She attended the country school of West Brown in Coffeyville and Independence Schools and later Coffeyville Business College. Following the completion of her education, she was employed by the City of Coffeyville in the Engineering Department and from that employment became the first woman employee of the Coffeyville Police Department. After passing a civil service examination in 1941, she was called to work as a civil service employee for the Federal Government at the Parsons Ammunition Plant. After the war, she was employed in local offices as a legal secretary. She then went to work as secretary for the Montgomery County Attorney in Independence. Upon completion of an examination at Topeka, Kansas, she was certified by the Kansas Supreme Court to practice as an official court reporter in the District Courts of Kansas. Following several years of private practice as a court reporter, on March 1, 1961, she was appointed by the District Judge of the Fourteenth Judicial District of Kansas as the official Court Reporter for the District Court, which position she held until her retirement January 31, 1981. On April 24, 1948, she married Louis Harold Burris at Coffeyville. He passed away on March 11, 2001. Mrs. Burris was a long time member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Coffeyville, having served in various capacities of the church and three terms on the vestry. She was a member of EZ Chapter of PEO, a life member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, a member of the National and State Court Reporters' Association. She was a chairman of volunteers for Pioneer Chapter of Red Cross of Coffeyville for a number of years. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, a life member of the Hospital Auxiliary, the Salvation Army Auxiliary, member of Matinee Musicale, a member of the Cultural Arts Center, Friends of the Brown Mansion and the Community Concert Associations of Independence and Coffeyville. She is survived by one son, Chip Burris of Tulsa, Oklahoma; one sister, Freda Louise Richardson of Branson, Missouri; two nieces; one grandnephew and two grandnieces. Family and friends may call from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 20, 2007, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Thursday at the David W. Barnes Funeral Home in Coffeyville, Kansas. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, March 22, 2007 at the St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Coffeyville, Kansas. Interment will follow at the Robbins Cemetery west of Coffeyville, Kansas. The family has suggested memorial contributions to the St. Paul's Episcopal Church or the Pioneer Chapter American Red Cross. These remembrances may be left in care of David W. Barnes Funeral Home, 306 North Cline Road, Coffeyville, Kansas, 67337.