1934-2024
Rita Louise Burks Holder of Kingsland passed away at her home in Kingsland, AR, on Saturday October 26, 2024, after a lengthy illness.
She was born January 15, 1934, to Joe Elbert and Elsie Lee Grice Burks, who preceded her in death. Her husband, Douglas Holder of Houston, Texas, died in 1992.
She graduated from Kingsland High School in 1951 and moved to Houston, Texas, where she worked for Gulf Publishing Company, for whom she traveled to many foreign places, including England, France, and Holland. She worked for Gulf until her retirement.
In 1984, Rita and Doug bought the top of a mountain, built a home, and moved to Marshall, Arkansas, where they lived happily until Doug’s death. In 2002, Rita moved back to Kingsland, where she lived until her death.
She was a devoted member of Hebron Methodist Church and counted all the people there as her family. Rita loved music and enjoyed singing every Tuesday with a group of close friends.
Also preceding Rita in death were a stillborn child; her sister, Anne Burks Dabney; her husband George; and their daughter Julie Anne Dabney Guthrie; and a brother, Curtis Dean Burks.
Survivors include the following: a brother, Joe Elbert Burks, Jr., and Glenetta Rivers Burks, his wife, of Warren and their children, Joe Burks, III, and wife Stephanie of Warren, Memory Hope Burks Frazer of Warren, and Rockland Rivers Burks of Monroe, LA; a niece Jessica Dawn Burks Kelsey and husband Phil of Alexander, and Dawn’s children, Haylee and Hunter Johnson, of Kingsland, whom she considered her grandchildren and who called her “Mimi”; and a nephew, George Evan Dabney, Jr., and wife Susan of Richardson, TX; many Burks and Grice cousins, and friends.
Pallbearers are Brandon Burks, Rocky Burks, Mastin Frazer, Race Frazer, Randy Grice, Phil Kelsey, Hunter Johnson. Honorary pallbearers are Joe Elbert Burks, Jr. Jimmy Childress, George Dabney, Jr. Hubert Grice, Calton Hall, Dr. Kerry Pennington, Jimmy Ray Stringfellow, Virgil Grice, Joe Burks, III.
The family will receive friends Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Hebron Methodist Church with funeral services following at 2:00 p.m. with Dusty Rhodes and Justin Childress officiating. Burial will follow at Graves Cemetery.
