Madeline Burnell

December 5, 1926 - December 21, 2021

Madeline Burnell Jefferson, Iowa Date of Death: December 21, 2021 Funeral services for Madeline Burnell, 95, of Jefferson, will be 10:30am Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Jefferson. Interment will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. The family will greet friends Monday, December 27 from 5:00 – 7:00pm at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson. Madeline K. Burnell was born on December 5, 1926 in Adair, Iowa, daughter of the late Leo and Anna (Ward) Hickey. Madeline went to country school in Casey, Iowa for her early years. She later graduated from Bayard High School in 1944, where her parents had moved to rent farmland. Upon completion of her studies at the American Institution of Business in Des Moines she landed a job at Garst Seed Company in Coon Rapids, Iowa. Madeline married Robert Burnell at Bayard’s St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on November 28, 1945, making this year their 76th wedding anniversary. Madeline and Robert worked together farming and raising their family on their farm in Paton, Iowa. Raised on a farm herself, Madeline understood the hard work that it took in helping with the day-to-day farm operation. They moved to Jefferson in 1979. Madeline spent her life as a homemaker, devoted wife, loving mother, and grandmother. Her hands were always busy. She loved being creative, whether it was trying out a new recipe, learning a new craft, helping with a complicated sewing project, or trying out a new move to the fox trot with Bob on the dance floor. She was a great cook and enjoyed a good cup of coffee accompanied by friends and a piece of pie. She was an active member of both St. John’s Catholic Church in Paton and St. Joseph’s Catholic women’s guild of Jefferson. Also, she was a DOES sister of Jefferson Elks Lodge #2306. Madeline cherished her longtime friendships with the member of Stitch & Chat Club of Paton and the Culture Club of Jefferson. She is survived by her beloved husband, Robert Lewis Burnell (96 yr), and two children Richard L. Burnell, and his wife Judy (Paton, Iowa); Lucinda B. Garvin, her husband John (Cheshire, CT); and her sister Veronica Wagner, her husband Howard (Rochester, MN). Madeline was blessed with 6 grandchildren: Christie Burnell (Paton, Iowa), Erin Kelson (Westminister, CO), Sarah Losee (Paton, Iowa), Amy Boland (Fairfield, CT), Luke Garvin (Littleton, CO), and Rita Brandborg (Missoula, MT); and 14 Great-Grandchildren. Madeline was predeceased by her parents Leo and Anna Hickey; two children, Patricia Joleen and Ronald ‘Busby’ Burnell, his wife Candace (Des Moines, IA); and her twin sister Marjorie Garrity, husband Mike (Cary, NC). We love you and will dearly miss you. Donations in her name may be made to Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church, 501 N. Locust, Jefferson, IA 50129. Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson 515-386-2171