Burma A. Hatfield

March 19, 1941 - January 15, 2012

Obituary

Burma A. Hatfield, 70 of Gilbert, departed this life on Sunday, January 15, 2012, at Logan Regional Medical Center.

Born on March 19, 1941, at Justice, she was the daughter of the late Jennings Bryant “JB: and Florence Clark Highlander.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by one son, Jeffrey Kent Hatfield; three sisters:  Dorothy Highlander Byrd, Almeda Highlander and Vickie Johnson; and two brothers:  Carrie and Herman Highlander.

Burma was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.  She was a member of the West Virginia Board of Education since January 2004, when she was sworn in to serve a term ending in 2011.  Burma attended Mingo County schools and graduated from Marshall University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  She was an elementary teacher for 15 years at Gilbert Grade School.  She later served as the dean of students at Gilbert Junior High School for four years and later as its principal for 11 years.  Burma continued to serve as principal when Gilbert Junior High School became Gilbert Middle School.  She has served in several public service positions, including two terms on the State of Democratic Executive Committee.  She also is a former member of the Gilbert Town Council and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Man Community Health Foundation.  She was president of the Mingo County Public Library, as well as a member of the West Virginia Women’s Commission.  She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

The family has established the Burma Hatfield Memorial Scholarship Fund at BB&T Bank in Gilbert.

Those left to love and cherish the memory of Burma and to mourn her passing include her loving husband, Joe E. Hatfield of Gilbert; her daughter, Valice (Ken) Hatfield of Gilbert; her son, Gregory Scott Hatfield of Charleston; her grandchildren:  Kendra Jo Hatfield of Wilmington NC, Kristina (Drew) Keaton of Cross Lanes, Mandy Nicole Hatfield of Charleston and Jeffrey Scott Hatfield of Charleston; her sisters:  Marie Penn of Tennessee, Emma Jean Boren of Florida and Jenny Epling of Virginia; and a host of other dear family and friends.

Friends may gather with the family at the Mounts Funeral Home Chapel in Gilbert on Wednesday January 18^th from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Thursday, January 19^th at the Mounts Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Arville Cline and Rev. Diamond Carter officiating.

Entombment will follow at Palm Memorial Gardens at Matheny.

Burma will be carried to her final resting place by:  Ricky Blackburn, Roger Endicott, Riley Browning, Phillip Murphy, Randy Livingood and Gordon Carter.

Honorary pallbearers are:  Ronnie Buck Hatfield, Eddie Grimmett, Clinton Lester, Bill Peak, Clarence Johnson, Joe Bragg and Tim Rutledge.

She is gone from our sight but never from our hearts.