Obituary of Burle Mannis

Elbern Burle Mannis, age 99 of Hugo, Colorado passed away November 25, 2013 in Goodland, Kansas. Burle was born March 11, 1914 in Larned, Kansas to Millard Charles and Bessie Tedford Mannis. He was one of four children having brothers Arthur and Robert and sister Nadine. Burle attended school in Bellville, Kansas for a year or two. His dad worked on road construction and Burle attended several schools. During his school years he worked at various jobs. Jim remembers him telling how he gathered up iron and sold it to junk yards. In 1928 Burle moved to Minneola, Kansas where he graduated from Minneola High School with the class of 1933. After high school he worked on farms and ranches. He also told of going to Kentucky to pick strawberries. On February 6, 1937 Burle married Wilma Pauline Brice in Guymon, Oklahoma. To this union four children were born, James, Ronald, Sheila and Charlette. Burle and Wilma lived in Fowler, Kansas until, as he said, he make a bunch of money on cattle and bought a farm south of Minneola. In 1951 Burle and Wilma moved their family to a farm north of Hugo, Colorado. His brother Art had a farm south of Limon and land was cheaper in Colorado. To make ends meet, Burle did day work for farmers and ranchers for a year or two before going to work for Sauer Brothers Lumber Company where he worked during the winter months and farmed in the summer. He worked building elevators at Genoa and Arriba and also worked at the fairgrounds helping to build sheds and do repairs. In 1956 he went to work at Snell Grain and retired from there in 1972. After retiring Burle and Wilma did some traveling, going on cruises and took a trip to Hawaii. They also enjoyed trips in their motor home. Wilma contracted cancer and shortly thereafter Burle and Wilma bought a house in Hugo and moved to town. Wilma passed away in 1987 and Burle continued to live in their home until 2010 when he went to live with his daughter Sheila and family in Minnesota. Burle adjusted well to his new home and all of the different activities he was able to enjoy. He went to a Bronco ballgame, got to go ice fishing, as well as many fishing trips on the lake. He once remarked, “I finally got to see a hockey game.” He never could get over how many trees they had in Minnesota. Burle moved to the Good Samaritan Home in Goodland, Kansas in March, 2013 at the age of 99. He was content there and was happy to be where family could visit often. Burle is survived by sons James and wife Carol Mannis of Hugo, CO, Ronald and wife Sherryl Mannis of Longmont, CO, and daughters Sheila and husband Gene Osborne of Stacy, MN., Charlette and husband Merlyn Stum of Hugo, CO. “Gramps” as the grandkids called him will always hold a special place in the hearts of his 14 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and 3 great-great-great grandchildren. Also surviving are nieces, nephews, and extended family. He also said if he had as many grandkids as the people that called him Gramps then he’d have a lot of grandkids. Burle was preceded in death by his parents, wife, two brothers, and one sister Nadine.