Rita Louise Burks Holder of Kingsland passed away at her home in Kingsland, on Saturday October 26, 2024, after a lengthy illness.
She was born January 15, 1934, to the late Joe Elbert and Elsie Lee Grice Burks. Her husband, Douglas Holder of Houston, Texas, died in 1992.
She graduated from Kingsland High School in 1951 and moved to Houston, Texas, where she worked for Gulf Publishing Company, for whom she traveled to many foreign places, including England, France, and Holland. She worked for Gulf until her retirement.
In 1984, Rita and Doug moved to Marshall and built a home after they purchased the top of a mountain, where they lived happily until Doug’s death. In 2002, Rita moved back to Kingsland, where she lived until her death.
She was a devoted member of Hebron Methodist Church and counted everyone there as her family. Rita loved music and enjoyed singing every Tuesday with a group of close friends.
Also preceding Rita in death were a stillborn child, her sister, Anne Burks Dabney, her husband George and their daughter Julie Anne Dabney Guthrie, and a brother, Curtis Dean Burks.
Survivors include the following: a brother, Joe Elbert Burks, Jr., (Glenetta) of Warren and their children, Joe Burks, III (Stephanie) of Warren, Memory Hope Burks Frazer of Warren, and Rockland Rivers Burks of Monroe, La; a niece Jessica Dawn Burks Kelsey (Phil) of Alexander, and Dawn’s children, Haylee and Hunter Johnson, of Kingsland, whom she considered her grandchildren and who called her “Mimi”; a nephew, George Evan Dabney, Jr.(Susan) of Richardson, Texas; many Burks and Grice cousins, and friends.
Pallbearers are Brandon Burks, Rocky Burks, Mastin Frazer, Race Frazer, Randy Grice, Phil Kelsey, and Hunter Johnson. Honorary pallbearers are Joe Elbert Burks, Jr., Jimmy Childress, George Dabney, Jr., Hubert Grice, Calton Hall, Dr. Kerry Pennington, Jimmy Ray Stringfellow, Virgil Grice, Joe Burks, III.
The family will received friends on Tuesday October 29, 2024 at Hebron Methodist Church. Funeral services followed. Dusty Rhodes and Justin Childress officiated. Burial followed at Graves Cemetery. Arrangements were by Benton Funeral Home of Fordyce. To sign the online register visit www.bentonfuneralhome.net.
