Alfred Lionel Burden Jr., M.D.

Alfred Lionel Burden, Jr., M.D. was born to Dovie Armstrong and Alfred Lionel Burden, Sr. in Ballinger, Texas. The family moved to San Antonio three years later, and except for the years he was in college, medical school and in the military, he lived in San Antonio. A 1951 graduate of Peacock Military Academy, he attended Abilene Christian College prior to entering Baylor University College of Medicine, where he graduated in 1958 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. He was a member of the Phi Beta Pi Medical Fraternity. On May 26, 1956, while still in medical school, he married his childhood sweetheart, Mary Elizabeth Smith, at Grove Avenue Church of Christ. Their loving marriage has lasted 63 wonderful years. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. At his retirement one physician said, "Dr. Burden was the most family-oriented doctor I ever knew." His internship and residency training were at the highly acclaimed Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas. During his residency, he joined the Active Army Reserves and was appointed Captain of the U.S. Army Reserves Medical Corps with the MOS of Ophthalmologist. He was attached to a U.S. Army Reserve hospital unit in Houston. After completing his residency training in Ophthalmology, he went on Active Duty in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an Ophthalmologist and was deployed to Gorgas Memorial Hospital in the Panama Canal Zone for three years. After receiving board certification by the American Board of Ophthalmology, he became head of the Department of Ophthalmology. He resigned from Active Duty in 1965 and remained in the Inactive Reserves through 1967. Returning to San Antonio with his family in 1965, he began private practice in Ophthalmology in the Nix Professional Bldg. and was blessed to take care of patients from all over the world. In 1994, he merged his practice with Ophthalmology Associates of San Antonio. Most of his patients came with him. His medical practice remained in the Nix until he retired March 31,1998. To this day, patients ask about him, send their love, and word of how much he is missed. He was exceptionally compassionate toward his patients and their families, offering encouragement to them as they faced difficult times or grief. He was a devout Christian and never hesitated to pray with them. Dr. Burden had a stellar career in Ophthalmology, was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Intraocular Implant Society, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Texas Society of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, AMA, Texas Medical Association, Texas Ophthalmological Association, Bexar County Medical Society, Oculoplastic Fellowship Society of New York and numerous other professional organizations. He served as President of the Nix Memorial Hospital Medical Staff and was also President of the San Antonio Society of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology. He was appointed Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Texas Health Science Society in San Antonio and thoroughly enjoyed many years of voluntary teaching of resident eye physicians. His colleagues considered him to be a progressive ophthalmologist and in 1975 he was the first San Antonio eye surgeon to implant an intraocular lens into a human eye combined with cataract surgery. He obtained some of his training in laser surgery in Bern, Switzerland. He was also given international recognition for having developed a surgical technique to avoid the undesirable cosmetic complication of upper eyelid ptosis (drooping) frequently encountered by eye surgeons following cataract surgery. Dr. Burden was a life-long time member of the church of Christ, where he served as an elder, teacher, and gospel preacher. He was also well-known for his ability to lead singing in worship services. As a young man attending the Grove Avenue Church of Christ, he often led singing and occasionally preached on Wednesday evenings. The eldership sometimes sent him to nearby communities to preach and Mary Elizabeth accompanied him. While deployed in the Panama Canal Zone, he and Mary Elizabeth attended the Balboa Church of Christ where he taught Bible classes and led singing. He and other members of the Balboa Church of Christ determined a preacher training school was needed in Panama City, Panama. The Panamanian Bible School was established and continues to teach preacher training students today. Dr. Burden had many hobbies and was a life member of the National Rifle Association, was an avid hunter with the longbow as well as firearms, a photographer, and genealogist. After retirement he enjoyed working on his ranch in Gonzales County, Texas. Dr. Burden is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Elizabeth Smith, daughters Shari Lynn and her husband Harold Eugene Hughes, Jr. of Palestine, Texas, Cynthia Elizabeth and her husband Rodney Hackney of San Antonio, and Susan Alane and her husband Samuel Martin Stricklin of Richardson, Texas. Grandchildren include Mark Winfred Hughes II and his wife Nichole Suzann Seifert, Kyle Eric Hughes, Kelli Lynn Hughes, Taylor Alfred Brite, Alan Thomas Brite, Robert Sherrod Stricklin III, William Burden Stricklin, and Samantha Lane Stricklin. Step-grandchildren Meredith Hughes Matthews and Shane Randol Hughes, and several great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents. The family will receive friends from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., Saturday, December 14, 2019, at Porter Loring Mortuary North. . FUNERAL SERVICE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2019 10:00 AM PORTER LORING NORTH CHAPEL 2102 NORTH LOOP 1604 EAST