It is with great sorrow that the Burden family share the loss of their loved one, Kenneth H. Burden, M.D. "Ken" was born Nov. 20, 1926, in Vancouver Island, B.C. When he was 12 years old, his family moved to Colorado.
Ken graduated from High School in Colorado, and went on to attend Union College in Nebraska. He graduated with his bachelor's degree in 1948. Ken went on to attend Loma Linda University Medical School in California and graduated in 1952. In between his studies, he had time to meet and court Clarita F. Kaufman, and in 1950, they married. The young couple moved to Maryland, where Ken completed his internship. While in Maryland, the young couple welcomed their first child, when Gary was born in 1953. During this time, Ken received a position for the U.S.P.H.S. and began practicing medicine at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Oregon. During their stay in Warm Springs, Ken and Clarita awaited the arrival of their second child. They received a delightful surprise when twins, Dan and Don were born. Around that time, Ken let the Adventist Conference know he and Clarita were interested in Mission Service. Shortly thereafter, they received a call to become missionaries in Puerto Rico, and the family made the move south as Ken became a medical missionary. In 1957, the Burden's welcomed their fourth child, and only daughter, Debbie to the family. The Burden family spent a total of 12 years in Puerto Rico. After completing their mission work, Ken accepted a position at St. Helena Health Center in California and the family moved to Deer Park, Calif. In 1973, Ken joined the Steck Memorial Clinic in Chehalis, Wash. The Burden's fell in love with the people and community of Chehalis, and chose to make it their permanent home. Dr. Kenneth Burden was proud to serve as a family practice physician at Steck for many years.
Ken loved to travel, and was also an avid Audubon member. He and his wife took many trips across the U.S. and around the world enjoying the beauty of nature and looking for birds he had not yet added to his bird watching "Life Lists". He loved to share his travels with family and friends. Having a keen sense of humor, he was also ready with a new joke and his sense of humor really showed through at family gatherings. Ken was also very active in his church and helped out wherever needed. His love of Mission Work continued throughout his life, and he went on many Maranatha Trips to help build churches and schools.
Kenneth H. Burden, M.D., a longtime resident of Chehalis, Wash., passed away Dec. 19 while enjoying a birthday cruise from Rome to Dubai. While sightseeing in Dubai, he fell and broke his hip. He also sustained a head injury. Fully alert, he made arrangements to be transported to the hospital, where surgery for his hip was planned. He later lapsed into a coma and died of a brain hemorrhage.
Kenneth Burden was preceded in death by his dear wife, Clarita Kaufman Burden in 2013.
He is survived by his brother, H.O. Burden; and his four adult children and their families; including nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, Chehalis Seventh-day Advantis Church, 120 Chilvers Rd., Chehalis, WA 98532.
Ken will be missed greatly by his family, and by all who knew and loved him.
