Alice A. Burling

Alice A. Burling (Ensz)

Alice Annette Burling, 85, of Aurora, Nebraska, passed away December 22, 2020.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 2nd at the Aurora United Methodist Church. Rev. Michelle Reed will officiate. Private family inurnment will take place at the Kenesaw Cemetery. Current CDC guidelines will be followed. Face masks are required. The service will be livestreamed thru the Aurora United Methodist Church Facebook page. Memorials may be made to the family to designate at a later date. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

Alice A. Burling (Ensz) was born on December 1st, 1935 in Dolton, South Dakota. She was the youngest of seven children born to John and Mamie Ensz. Alice graduated high school in Dorchester, Nebraska in 1953. At the age of seventeen, she began working as a secretary for Ford Van Lines. She then decided to attend the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where she met Donald Burling. The two married on August 25th, 1957 and were married for 63 years.

Don and Alice had four children together, Annette, William, Philip and Michael. The family moved to Aurora in 1975, where Alice was the director of the Alice M. Farr Library for nearly twenty years. Both her and Don retired in 1997 to spend more time with their children and grandchildren.

Alice was a brilliant seamstress, an avid reader and a wonderful cook. She loved mysteries, crossword puzzles, the Los Angeles Dodgers, big dogs, and telling stories. She enjoyed spending time shopping with her grandkids, preparing for holiday gatherings and playing Yahtzee with the family. Alice had the ability to make everyday a special occasion, and she made everyone feel welcome at her table. She was a mother and grandmother to all who knew her. Her optimism, tenacity and unconditional love will never be forgotten.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Annette Burling, her son, William Burling and her husband, Donald Burling.

Alice will be missed dearly by her sons, Philip Burling, of Kearney and Michael (Patty) Burling, of Omaha; her seven grandchildren, Natalie (Kyle) Kuypers, Pascal (Chase) Johnson, Erin Burling, Braeden Burling, Brock Burling, Ellen Burling, and Jenny Dye, and many nieces, nephews and friends.