Obituaries

Carol Jean Burden, 86, of Walton, KY, passed away peacefully the morning of Sunday, November 9th at Emerald Trace Senior Care in Elsmere. The daughter of the late Homer and Wilma {Jones} Winburn, Carol was born in Cincinnati, OH on August 9, 1939. Carol began her career as an administrative assistant with the FBI after graduating high school. She then shifted focus to raising her family with her husband, Jim. Once her children were grown, Carol returned to the workforce and joined as an Executive Assistant at Columbia Sussex, then Hemmer Companies, and later Verst Group Logistics where she ultimately retired in 2004.

Carol’s Christian faith was central to her life. She was a dedicated and longtime member of First Baptist Church of Walton, where she was deeply involved in her church community, teaching Sunday School and Bible School, and singing joyfully in the choir. Carol enjoyed ballroom dancing with her late husband and had joined the Cincinnati Bop Club. She was an excellent seamstress and had made a lot of her own clothes. Carol was also an exceptional cook and baker, known especially for her delicious desserts. She found great happiness and peace at her second home on Dale Hollow Lake, where she loved to spend time with family and even partake in water skiing!

Carol will be deeply missed by her beloved children, Randy (Paula) Burden, Mike (Lisa) Burden, and Diana (Brian) Burden Webster; grandchildren, Brandon Burden, Allie (Ross) Burden Walker, Dalton Webster, Andria (Weston) Burden Pojé, and Devin Webster; great-grandchildren, Maeve and Henry Walker; and her precious puppy, Heidi.

In addition to her parents, Carol was preceded in death by her husband, James “Jim” R. Burden; her sister, Joyce Ann Burden; and her brother, Donald Winburn.

In the later years of her life, Carol faced the challenges of Alzheimer’s with courage and dignity. Though the disease stole some of the sweetest of years, her spirit remained unbroken. Yet even in the final moments, her face would light up when seeing family, reminding everyone that the heart remembers what the mind may forget. The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all those who cared for Carol over the years: friends, neighbors, and the dedicated healthcare professionals at Emerald Trace Senior Care whose compassion and support brought her comfort.

A visitation will be held between 5 and 8 P.M. on Thursday, November 13th at First Baptist Church of Walton, 47 S Main St, Walton, KY 41094. Friends and family are welcome to visit from 11 A.M. until the time of service at 12 P.M. at First Baptist Church of Walton on Friday, November 14th. Carol will be laid to rest next to her late husband at Hillcrest Cemetery in Dry Ridge. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Breakthrough T1D (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) by clicking here and/or to First Baptist Church of Walton by clicking here and/or to Emerald Trace Senior Care by mail, 3802 Turkeyfoot Rd, Elsmere, KY 41018. For directions, to view the life tribute video, or to share an online condolence please visit the corresponding tabs on this page.