Harold Lee Burky

Harold Lee Burky, 87, of Springfield, passed away July 7, 2021, at his home after a brief illness.
He was born Sept. 12, 1933, the youngest of five kids, at the farm house in Henry County, Iowa, to David and Bertha (Brownell) Burky.
Harold married Judy Steele, who survives, on April 21, 1960, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after knowing each other six weeks and they celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary this year.
Harold graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School and joined the Air Force during the Korean War serving 1953-1957 and was stationed in Georgia and Florida. Following his discharge, Burky and his brother Carl decided to bring bowling to Mt. Pleasant and they attended a
Brunswick Training School where he did management training and Carl did the mechanical training. After selling the bowling alley, he began working as an insurance adjuster in 1961 for IMT Insurance of Des Moines, Iowa and was located in Oelwein, Iowa. In 1974, he moved to Judy’s family farm in Novinger, and worked for Columbia Mutual Insurance of Columbia, with his territory being northeast Missouri. He retired from Columbia Mutual in 1993 and moved to Springfield, to be near the kids and grandkids.
He served on the board of Adair County Mutual Insurance Company and was a member of the Novinger Lions Club and Methodist Church.
Burky is survived by his wife of 61 years Judy (Steele) Burky, son David (Laurie) of Nixa, and daughters Leea Reed (Jack) of Nixa, and Amy Ingham (Todd) of Republic; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, David and Bertha; brother Carl (Irene) Burky and sisters Florence (Darrell) Kinney, Betty (Raymond) Hunter and Twila (Wayne) Parsons.
Burky wanted a simple graveside service at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, where he will be buried, and due to the COVID outbreak in southwest Missouri will take place with immediate family in the near future.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Rescue One designated to help with their new clinic https://rescueonespringfield.com/donations/anniversary/ or mailed to Rescue One at 1927 E Bennett STE B, Springfield, MO 65804 or Novinger Renewal for Methodist Church
preservation mailed to Novinger Renewal at PO Box 24, Novinger, MO 63559 or the charity of your choice.
His care has been entrusted to Walnut Lawn Funeral Home, Ltd. DeGraffenreid-Wood- Crematory.