Burldene Brasuell Leininger

She was born December 21, 1933 in Council Hill, Oklahoma to Oscar “Burl” and Jennie Mae (McIntosh) Brasuell. Burldene was raised on a farm near Hitchita, Oklahoma and attended Hitchita School, graduating in 1951. After graduating, Burldene moved to Tulsa to start her career with Southwester Bell. Burldene married Jimmy Leininger in 1961. During their 25 years of marriage, Burldene and Jimmy owned the Memorial Lounge and then the Jimmy L’s lounge on 11th and Mingo which they operated for many years. Burldene was active with Southwestern Bell and Communication Workers of America (CWA), Local 6012, first as a Union steward and then with the National CWA in St Louis in 1986. She retired from CWA in 1992 ending her career with the District Office as the administrative assistant. Burldene championed the rights and protection of all workers and supported all the Union organizations in the Tulsa area such as steel workers, transportation workers among others. Burldene was a staunch Democrat, tirelessly volunteering and serving in leadership roles in the local Democratic Party. She campaigned for numerous candidates for local, state and national positions. Burldene defended her candidates and her Democratic ideals. Most of her friends and family knew the saying “Fools walked in where angels feared to tread” if anyone rose to the challenge of a debate about politics or any other thing that she believed in. In 1986, Burldene met the love of her life, Jerry Gardner. They married in 1988 and after retirement, they moved to Grand Lake where Burldene took up the game of golf in order to spend more time with Jerry. It was also an opportunity to enjoy her Grand Lake property on Duck Creek which she had owned since the mid-sixties. She was proceeded in death by her parents, husband, Jerry Gardner; brothers, Leo and Harley Brasuell; sisters, Nina Lou Brasuell and Wynona Wolfe; nephews, David Brasuell and Michael Wolfe. She is survived by her brother, Perry Brasuell of Monterey California; sister, Johnnie Mae Brasuell of Catoosa; brother, Wallace and Jean Brasuell of Broken Arrow and sister-in-law, Bobbie Brasuell of Tulsa. She is also survived by 10 nieces and nephews, 25 great nieces and nephews and 11 great, great nieces and nephews. She is also survived by a host of devoted friends.