Bio of Kathy Burnham

Church: Most of my church jobs have been in genealogy. I have served as a stake family history worker (manning the stake family history library one night a week for 3 hours) helping anyone that comes to do their family history. I currently serve as ward family history consultant. I am working with 3 members of my ward during the week on their home computers. One of them received an envelope from the Netherlands (his native country). It contained a relatives life work with over 600 names, we are compiling into them into families linked to him. A REAL GOLD MINE!! I have just been called as the stake temple coordinator for the family names file. I have been so busy that I have not done much on my own genealogy lately.

Education: I was a graduate of the Univ. of Colo. in Physical Therapy when I was a missionary. That is how I was able to serve as a welfare services missionary. I left Colorado shortly after my mission. I wanted to work with children and in Colorado you have to have 2 years of experience to get a job. I moved to Utah and worked for Jordan School District for 4 years. Then I went to Washington State for specialty training.

Work: Upon returning I went into private practice with 3 other therapists. We had an office in SLC and Provo. In 1985 my back went bad and I needed surgery. It was unsuccessful in alleviating the pain. I was relegated to consultations and in-service director for our employees. In 1889 we disbanded the company, taking a loss on our investment, because my back was still bad and another owner had a bad knee and shoulder. We all divided up the school districts.

Hobbies: I chose Granite became they did more consultation. I then became an employee of Granite school district. In 1991 I had major reconstructive surgery on my back. Two surgeries, 7 days apart 16 total hrs. I spent 15 days in the hospital and 6 months down except for walking time as tolerated. After 8 months I returned to work and worked for 6 more years until 1997 when I began having trouble with an autoimmune disease that has been diagnosed as mixed connective tissue disease.

Community Service: I have worked on the board of United Cerebral Palsy and volunteered with them for several years doing wheelchair and daily living assessments.

Comps: My missionary companions were Sandra Morrison, Sonya Ferre', Iris Alfaro, Haydee Cerrato, Helga Sanchez, Oralee Black and Barbara Stonehocker

Areas Served: I served in Costa Rica, Panama City, Nicaragua in and around Managua, and the David and La Chorrera Panama

I learned the meaning of love from the Latin people. My mission was the springboard for the rest of my life. I learned to love the Lord and the meaning of imparting love thru service. This has helped me immensely already, and blesses me daily.