Freda C "Manu" Burnette

Freda Carlene Crowder Burnette, daughter of Fred O. and Ruth Crowder spent her early years with her family moving between Tennessee and Texas. Her fondest memories of childhood were of the time she spent with her paternal grandmother, known by all as "Mommy." Mommy was a "Woman of God" and a tireless worker for the good of all she touched. She instilled in Freda her extraordinary gifts, that would serve her well in her chosen path of service to others.

Freda married young, and was blessed with five wonderful children. There were mighty hard times at first, and she could tell hair raising stories about packing a six-shooter to kill snakes while she drew water from the spring, with a baby on her hip and another in tow. Moonshiners and revenuers cutting the fences and letting the cows out, milking those cows to feed her babies far from civilization in the hills of Tennessee.

Things got somewhat better when Freda and her family moved back to Fort Worth, at least she got  to hang up her gun and stop milking cows.  She earned her nursing degree and, while working full time and raising five kids, went on to gain her degree in respiratory therapy. Her innate skills and talent moved her quickly to the top of her field and she became the Director of Cardiopulmonary at All Saints Hospital.
Never one to rest on her laurels, Freda moved on to medical sales and (no surprise) excelled in that tough "good ole boy" environment until she banged her head on the "glass ceiling." Never deterred and ever resourceful Freda left the corporate world and donned her entrepreneurial hat and started her own home cleaning business and (wouldn't you know) her talents and zest for serving others led her from very humble beginnings to a thriving company with several crews serving the community. Longing to return to a more personal service again, Freda sold her business and returned to what she loved the most.

Freda began the next phase of her service at the Glen Rose Nursing Center at Glen Rose Hospital. The author truly believes she felt this to be the highlight of her life of service.
She would belly laugh at the stunts "Her Seniors" would pull, and cry her eyes out when any one of them passed on. Her extraordinary gifts, she felt, were most beautifully utilized in caring for the elderly. The response of her patients and the rapport of her peers (of course) led hospital management to beg her to become the Director of Nursing. She wrestled long with this decision but finally accepted, always hoping to do more, but the politics of administration pulled her too far away from her hands-on style, so she move even further on.

Freda ended her working career the way she started, as a nurse, with a doctor starting her practice at the Professional Center at Glen Rose. Again her gifts, communication skills, genuine empathy and raw talent propelled the Doctor into a thriving practice and set an example for younger nurses to follow. The love that her patients developed for her led them to cancel or move appointments according to her work schedule! "The patient is always right."  

Freda lived by and was an exemplary example of the credo "God first, Family second, everything else third." Her great Gift, was the ability to blend the three into one. She saw God in Everyone she touched, Everybody was Family, and No One was third.

It might seem to some readers that there are gaping omissions in this biography and the humble author would like to assure you they are intentional. This site all about Freda and what a marvelous mother, sister, wife, friend, and healer she was. I want to strongly encourage you to use this tool to share memories, pictures, grief or any thoughts that will help us all keep her memory alive. I thank God and continue to praise Him for every second He  gave me with Her.

 



Born: Apr 29, 1943 in Nashville, Tennessee

Died: Apr 19, 2007 in Godley, Texas

About: Licensed Vocational Nurse Respiratory Therapist

Obituary

Obituary from DFW
Freda Crowder Burnette passed away Thursday, April 19, 2007, after living with pancreatic cancer for almost a year.

Memorial service: 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at Aledo Baptist Church, Highway 1187, Aledo.

Freda retired in February 2006 after a 43-year career as a nurse in the Fort Worth and Glen Rose areas. She was a highly-respected and much-loved nurse.

Survivors: Husband, Paul W. Burnette of Godley; children, Mike List of Allen, Tina Marie Burnette of Godley, Briggett Haney of San Antonio, Carla Cliett of Mineral Wells and John C. List of Crowley; parents, Ruth Crowder of Burleson and Fred O. Crowder of Nashville, Tenn.; sister and brothers, Sue Brown of Aledo, Randy Crowder of Joshua and Roger Crowder of Alvarado; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.