Patricia Lynn Burnham

Patricia Lynn “Pat” Burnham, age 80, of Brookings, South Dakota, passed away peacefully on February 7, 2026, in Brookings. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the Will Funeral Chapel, with burial to follow at Graceland Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the Will Funeral Chapel.

Pat was born on July 6, 1945, in Fairmont, Minnesota, to Maynard “Bunny” and Dorothy (Gilbert) Bolster. She grew up in Fairmont and graduated from Fairmont High School in 1963. She continued her education at the School of Practical Nursing at St. Joseph Hospital in Mitchell, South Dakota.

On October 24, 1964, Pat married David Burnham in Fairmont, MN. They shared 47 years of marriage before Dave’s passing in 2011 and built a life filled with family, friendships, and many shared adventures. Together they raised two children, Julie and Scott.

Pat began her career as a nurse, working at St. Joseph Hospital and later at Delaney Clinic in Mitchell. When her children were young, she transitioned into education, becoming a paraprofessional with the Mitchell School District. She began in the Early Childhood Special Education program at Longfellow Elementary and later moved to Mitchell Middle School. Throughout her years in the school district, Pat touched the lives of many students in special education through her patience, kindness, and steady encouragement, remaining at the middle school until her retirement in 2017.

Family was the heart of Pat’s life. She, David, and the kids enjoyed camping together, and Pat and Dave spent many years playing co-ed softball, volleyball, and darts. She also loved cheering on the Minnesota Vikings or settling in for a good movie on Netflix. Above all, Pat treasured time with family and friends. She never met a stranger and could talk with anyone, making people feel instantly at ease.

Pat found great joy in being a grandmother to Spencer, Laura, Mason, Mari, and Ian, and she was recently blessed to become a great-grandmother to Theo and Edyn. In October 2025, she moved to Brookings to be closer to family.

Pat was kind, thoughtful, and deeply caring. She devoted herself to caring for David during his years with Parkinson’s disease and endured her own health challenges with quiet strength and grace, never one to complain. She was a longtime member of First Lutheran Church.

Pat is survived by her daughter, Julie Wermers and her husband, Brad, of Brookings, SD; her son, Scott Burnham and his wife, Jamie, of Grand Junction, CO; five treasured grandchildren: Spencer (Megan) Wermers of Severance, CO; Laura (Rhett) Larsen of Brookings, SD; Mason (Jamie) Burnham of El Paso, TX; and Mari and Ian Burnham of Grand Junction, CO; and her great-grandchildren, Theo Wermers and Edyn Larsen. She is also survived by her brothers, Jon (Tonya) Bolster and Tom Bolster, and her sister, Terry (Mike) Sathoff.

She was preceded in death by her husband, David Burnham; her parents, Maynard and Dorothy Bolster; her step mother, Mary Bolster; her mother-in-law, Harriet Burnham; her brother, Richard “Dick” Bolster; her sister-in-law, Marge Bolster; and niece, Cindi McNair.

Memorials may be directed to MSD Caring Closet or MHS Food Pantry (821 N Capital, Mitchell, SD 57301).