Mildred Shirley Burdette of Hogansville, Georgia, died Saturday, May 18, 2024.
Born March 14, 1931, in Habersham County, Mildred received her B.S. from Piedmont College in 1949 and taught science there at the age of 18. She joined the faculty of the UGA College of Education’s State Demonstration School in Athens, earning her M.Ed. from the University of Georgia in 1957. During her career, Mildred also taught gifted programs, grades 7 – 12 science, and middle grades 4– 8 in South Habersham, Columbia (SC), and Hogansville public schools, retiring from East Coweta Middle School in 1995.
In 1957 she married Roy Cox Burdette; they moved to Hogansville in 1961. Together with a band of other dedicated parents, she and Roy established the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation in 1970. Mildred was Georgia’s 1977 State STAR Teacher, and the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s 2006 River Neighbor.
Mildred was predeceased by her husband, Roy Burdette; son, Brooks Burdette; and brothers, Earl Shirley and AD Shirley. Survivors include her sister Merle Shirley Aycock of Clarkesville; daughter Ila Burdette of Atlanta; special family friend Kyle Williams of Narragansett, RI; sister-in-law Louise (AD) Shirley of Clarkesville; and many nieces and nephews with their extended families.
The graveside service will be at 11:00 am Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery, 216 Turnerville Circle, Turnerville, Georgia.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, P.O. Box 824061, Philadelphia, PA 19182-4061, www.oif.org.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel, at 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone: 706-778-7123.
