Remembering Dorothy Burckart
The Maranatha family greatly appreciates the life and ministry of a founding faculty member, Dorothy H. Burckart.
Dorothy was born March 29, 1926, in Sumner, Nebraska, daughter of Arthur and Jennie (Gustafson) Newquist. After completing her teaching certificate at the University of Nebraska (Kearney), she taught elementary school in Elm Creek, Nebraska. She then went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. It was there that she met Edward Burckart whom she married on August 6, 1953, in Sumner, Nebraska. Together they founded five churches in New Jersey and served at Maranatha Baptist Church in Flint, Michigan where Ed was pastor. They were also founding faculty members of Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown, Wisconsin where they taught for many years.
Dorothy taught music appreciation classes as well as private piano lessons. She also accompanied many concerts for her husband. Current MBU faculty member Carol Ruffin shares, “Her observant eye, common sense, godliness, wisdom, and sense of humor are what I remember most about Mrs. Dorothy Burckart. She possessed the God-given ability to observe a problem, to identify the core issue, to run it through her biblical filter, and to mete out just the right advice–and all with a sparkle in her eye and a droll sense of humor that never failed to crack me up.”
Dorothy’s influence extends through her children and grandchildren. Brendan Burckart, grandson and current MBU student, shares, “There are many thoughts and memories that come to mind when I think of Grandma B, including her wise counsel, her words of encouragement, her sweet smile, and most of all, her faithful prayers. I always knew Grandma was praying for me, my family, the Maranatha family, and countless others.” At school, Brendan sings for the Chorale Choir and the Tonal Defenders traveling music team. He also plays soccer and club volleyball.
He continues, “Grandma Burckart appreciated the little things in life because she recognized that those things were there for a reason. She loved to quote I Thessalonians 5:18, which says, ‘In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
A memorial service for Dorothy, 91, was held Saturday, April 22, 2017, at her membership church, Fellowship Baptist Church, with the Rev. Chad Prigge and the Rev. Dr. Robert Loggans officiating. She is survived by her four children, Brenda (Michael) Dean of Brookfield, Wisconsin, Bonnie (Stephen) Jaspers of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, Robert (Kerry) Burckart of Alsip, Illinois, and Brent (Elvie) Burckart of Rosenberg, Texas, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one son, two brothers, and two sisters.