Harry C. M. Burger

SENECA Harry C. M. Burger, generous donor to the Seneca community and lifetime dairyman, passed away Tuesday, May 18, 2004, at The Life Care Center in Seneca. Quiet, unassuming, determined, faithful, compassionate - these are just a few words that describe Harry C. M. Burger. The Burger family were pioneers of America, dating back before the Revolutionary War. Harry's grandfather came to Richmond Township in Nemaha County and purchased an 80-acre farm. Harry Christian Marsh Burger was born Feb. 19, 1913, to Harry Daniel Burger and Anna Steinmeir Burger on the family farm north of Seneca. Harry had lived on the family farm all of his life. He attended the Liberty School District No. 15 through the eighth grade and then attended Seneca Public High School from which he graduated in 1930. He assumed the responsibility of the family farm at the age of 16 when his father died due to injuries suffered in an accident. The dairy, Nemaha Valley Holstein Farm, was e stablished in 1908 and is the oldest continuously registered Holstein herd in Kansas. For more than 60 years, Harry C. M. Burger has served the dairy industry. In 1939, he became director of the Nemaha Cooperative Creamery Association at Sabetha and served as board president for nine years. Between 1967 and 1970, he played a key role in the merger of several cooperatives that formed the Mid-America Dairymen Inc. He served as chairman of the Kansas City Division of Mid-America Dairymen, Inc. for 25 years and was a member of the executive corporate board until his retirement in 1991. He also served as chairman of the finance committee. He had given much time and support to organizations that served the dairy industry. He had served in many capacities including, president, Kansas Cooperative Dairy Producers Association; chairman and president of the Nemaha County Extension Council; vice-president and president, Kansas Holstein Breeder's Association; president, Northeast Kansas Holstein B reeder's Association; president, Brown - Doniphan - Nemaha Dairy Herd Improvement Association; director, Dairy Council of Greater Kansas City; director and honorary director for Life, National Milk Producer's Federation, Arlington, Va., United Dairy Industries Association; president, Kansas Dairy Herd Improvement Association; vice-president, Nemaha County Farm Bureau; board member, Livestock and Meat Industry Council, Inc., Kansas State University member of the President's Club, KSU, and Holstein - Friesian Assoc. of America. Harry has been recognized for his service to the dairy industry by such honors as, Outstanding Kansas Stockman by the Little American Royal, KSU, 1984; the OSCAR by the Dairy Council of Greater Kansas City; 1982 Kansas Distinguished Dairyman, 1984 by the Kansas Dairy Herd Improvement Association; Kansas Outstanding Service to Agriculture Award, 1992 by the State Board of Agriculture; National Cooperative Career Award, 1991 by Mid-America Dairymen, Inc.; In 1991, KSU dedicated Dairy Day in his name. In 1991, upon retirement from Mid-America Dairymen he received special recognition for 52 years of service as a board member to cooperative milk marketing associations. Mr. Burger s lifetime dedication to improving the dairy industry was recognized in 1998 by his induction into the Mid-America Dairymen, Inc. Hall of Honor. He is only the third person to be named to the Hall of Honor. Directors of 30 states from coast to coast voted this award for him. Harry's foresight and concern for the future are best illustrated by his endowed scholarship at KSU for the benefit of dairy judging teams. He established the Harry Burger - Nemaha Valley Holstein Farm Scholarship Fund in 1982, named in honor of his parents, Harry D. and Anna Burger, which awards annually eight students with high academic ranking. Harry has made very generous donations to the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, Seneca Free Library and to the National Alzheimer's Association and the Nema ha County Historical Society. He also funded the Harry C.M. Burger Annex to the Nemaha County Historical Museum which was dedicated Sept. 24, 1995. Kansas State University held a special place in Harry s heart. Although he was not able to go, he did have four sisters who did attend. Beginning in 1999, Harry established the Harry C.M. Burger Scholarship in cooperation with the Nemaha County Step Foundation. This is an endowed scholarship whereby two graduates of Nemaha Valley High School, who plan to attend Kansas State University, will receive renewable scholarships. In addition, in 2001, Harry established the Harry C.M. Burger Nemaha County Scholarship. This too is an endowed scholarship whereby two graduates, chosen from among the six Nemaha County high schools, who plan to attend Kansas State University, will receive renewable scholarships. Since beginning these scholarships, 18 high school graduates from Nemaha County have benefited from Harry s generosity. The Nemaha Valley Holst ein Farm is well known over the United States as Harry sold many registered Holsteins from coast to coast and to foreign places. His Holstein sales have included herd sires to a number of Artificial Breeding Associations. The herd has held some state and national records in milk and butterfat production. As a young man, Harry attended the Congregational United Church of Christ, Seneca. He was preceded in death by his parents, Anna and Harry Daniel Burger; and sisters, Gladys Burger, Lola Patterson, Leslie Brown, Helen Gudenkauf, Emily Johnson and Christine Childers. Seven nieces and nephews, several great nieces and nephews and many cousins survive him. Funeral services will be Friday at Popkess Mortuary in Seneca at 10:30 a.m. The Rev. Jennifer Collins will conduct the services. Burial will be in Seneca Cemetery. A visitation will be today from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Popkess Mortuary in Seneca. Memorials are being left to the Terry Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research and Kansas State University and may be sent in care of the funeral home.