Lorena F. Burton

Lorena Faye (Strifler) Burton, 92, passed away on October 6, 2025, at the Frankfort Community Care Home. She was born on February 21, 1933, near Fostoria, KS, to John Henry and Sarah Ann (Burton) Strifler.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, October 9th, at Padden Funeral Chapel in Frankfort.

Funeral services will take place at the United Methodist Church in Frankfort, on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. Pastor Stefani Nocktonick will officiate. Jody Turnbull will serve as the organist, leading the congregation in the hymns In the Garden, Hymn of Promise, and The Old Rugged Cross.

Pallbearers will include Tim Adams, Tom Adams, J.J. Adams, Kenny Burton, Jim Wessel, Gary Musil, and Barry Jones.

Burial will follow at the Frankfort City Cemetery.

Rena attended Merrymount School in Pottawatomie County for the first five years of her education, traveling about a mile and a half from home. She graduated from Fostoria High School in 1951. After school, she worked at the Slimaker Dress Factory in Holton, KS, until she married Thomas Edward Burton on June 17, 1956, at the Methodist Parsonage in Westmoreland, KS. Later, she worked at the Onaga Sewing Factory and as a CNA at Frankfort Community Care Home, where she devoted nearly 20 years before retiring. She also worked part-time at the Frankfort Area News.

Though Rena had no children of her own, she became a second mother to the children of her only sister, Fern Strifler Adams, particularly after Fern's passing in 1979. Rena continued to care for and nurture Fern's five children—Cindy, Connie, Tim, Amy and Tom—treating them as her own. She also provided daycare for many of her great nieces and nephews over the years. A skilled seamstress and quilter, Rena's creations still adorn the homes of family and friends, and she took great pride in attending sporting events for her great nieces and nephews, always ready for a game day road trip.

Her hobbies included sewing, quilting, working on puzzles, doing word searches and, as she jokingly put it, eating and sleeping. Over the years, she enjoyed the companionship of several indoor pets. Her last dog was a miniature poodle named Ruby. Rena adopted a stray cat, Spot, who moved to the care home with her in January 2018.

Rena was preceded in death by her parents and her seven brothers: Howard, Jack, Dale, Bernard, Dan, Rex and Orville, as well as her sister, Fern Adams. She is survived by her brother, Lyle Strifler (Texas) and her half-siblings: Pat and Mike Strifler, Marla Blackwell, Sandy Ruggels and Connie Poston.

A memorial fund has been established in Rena’s honor to benefit the Frankfort United Methodist Church or the Frankfort Community Care Home. Contributions can be made to Padden Funeral Chapel, c/o Kinsley Mortuary, P.O. Box 147, Marysville, KS 66508.