Helen Burba

October 11, 1926 - January 21, 2022

Helen Coffield Burba was called to her heavenly home on January 21st, 2022, in Tulsa at the age of 95. She was born on October 11th, 1926, to Dr. A.W. Coffield and Eunice Coffield in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Her father, the late Dr. A.W. Coffield was a long time Doctor who faithfully served the Drumright community and her mother, the late Eunice Coffield was a schoolteacher. Helen graduated from Drumright High School in 1944. After high school graduation, she attended Oklahoma A&M and earned a bachelors degree in education. While at college, she met the love of her life, Virgil Burba. After a short engagement they eloped to Winfield, Kansas and were married on August 14th, 1946. She dearly loved Virgil; they spent 70 years of inseparable marriage until his passing on October 24th, 2015. Helen and Virgil attended church on a regular basis; she and Virgil were longtime members at Harvard Avenue Baptist Church, and later in their lives, they attended Evangelistic Temple in Tulsa. Helen loved her 40+ years of teaching school. Her teaching career began in Perkins, Oklahoma followed by Lanier and Hoover Elementary in the Tulsa Public School District. She truly loved the students and was affectionately known as an outstanding teacher by her peers, students, and their parents. After she retired from Tulsa Public Schools, she greatly missed teaching and soon applied for and was hired by Metro Christian Academy in Tulsa for an additional 2 years of teaching. After her final retirement, Helen and Virgil traveled across the country with their daughter, Janice Burba-Gibson and granddaughter Jessica while on the LPGA Tour. Virgil caddied for Janice and Helen cared for Jessica. While on the tour, Helen soon began a reading and math program to assist several "tour kids" in their fundamental academics. She was soon hired by the LPGA to work in the first years of the LPGA traveling daycare. She was an amazing musician playing the piano "by ear"; she loved all animals and enjoyed growing and attending to her beautiful plants and flowers that included giant banana trees and roses bushes. She was the most selfless, caring person who was loved by all. She will be greatly missed by family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. A.W. and Eunice Coffield of Drumright, Oklahoma; brother-in-law Vernon Elder and sister Irene Elder of Tulsa, Oklahoma; brother A.W. "Dub" Coffield and sister-in-law, Daisy Coffield of Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Dr. Floyd and Eileen Coffield of Drumright, Oklahoma. She is survived by her son, Rick Burba and his wife Janet of Owasso, Oklahoma; daughter Janice Gibson and husband David Gibson of Tulsa, Oklahoma; grandson Dr. Chris Burba and wife Dr. Elizabeth Burba; granddaughter Jessica Wilson and husband Dr. Christopher Wilson of Indianapolis, Indiana; and 7 great- grandchildren, Caleb, Adi, Elias, Isaac, Asher, Benjamin, and Eden as well as several nieces, nephews, and friends. Visitation will be 6-8PM, Thursday, January 27, 2022 at Moore's Southlawn. Funeral Service will be 10:00 A.M., Friday, January 28, 2022 at Moore's Southlawn Chapel, 9350 E. 51st, Tulsa, OK. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com