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BURGESS -- Lovola F. West. We have sadly lost a dear mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to so many. Lovola F. West Burgess, 88, passed away on March 18, 2005 at her home in Albuquerque with her beloved family by her side. Those who knew her would agree that she lived a life of passion, celebrating life to the fullest each day, while devoting a great deal of her time and talents to volunteer work to benefit children and the elderly. Born in Clarksville, Iowa on May 18, 1916, Lovola West earned a Bachelors Degree at the University of Iowa in 1937 and married Howard Burgess, her husband of 61 years, in 1939. She later moved to Albuquerque and earned a Masters Degree in Guidance and Counseling at the University of New Mexico in 1959. Her professional experience included 25 years of devoted service to the Albuquerque Public Schools beginning in 1953 as an English teacher at Ernie Pyle Junior High, Washington Junior High, and then Valley High School where she was a guidance counselor. She later became the Assistant Principal of Del Norte High School and then Principal of Rio Grande High School, where she retired in 1978. Her career of volunteer activities included National President of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) from 1992-1994; the AARP Board of Directors; The Governor's Health Care Cost and Access Commission; Member of the Board of Directors for the Coalition for Children; volunteer for the Human Services Coalition; and Washington Senior Intern for former U.S. Representative Manual Lujan. In addition, Lovola recently served on the Policy Advisory Committee of the State Agency on Aging; the State Medicaid Advisory Committee; the State Managed Long Term Care Advisory Committee; and the St. Joseph's PACE Advisory Committee. Her death follows that of her husband, Howard, and her older daughter, Suzanne Lewis. She is survived by her younger daughter, Patricia Kerr, a retired reading specialist in the Albuquerque Public Schools; son-in-law, Bill Kerr, a retired APS special education teacher; son-in-law, Larry Lewis; granddaughter, Jennifer Sturgeon Burita and her husband, Mike, of Alexandria, Virginia; granddaughter, Julie Sturgeon of Littleton, Colorado; and great-grandsons, Alex Burita, age 2, and Evan Burita, age 2 months. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Sunday, April 10, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. at Grace Church in Albuquerque, located at 6901 San Antonio NE. In lieu of flowers, Lovola's family has requested that contributions be made to Presbyterian Hospice of Albuquerque, 8011 Constitution NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110.
        Published on: Sun March 20, 2005