Ellen Austin Burchfield
October 2, 2014
Date of Service: October 6, 2014
Interment Location: Masonic Garden
Ellen Burchfield , 87, was promoted to Glory today. She is preceded in death and now reunited with her husband Nathaniel C. “Nat” Burchfield, her son: Steven Nathaniel Burchfield, and other loving family members and dear friends. Ellen is survived by daughter, Susie Farmer and husband Bob Farmer. Three grandsons, Ben Johnson and wife Heather Johnson of Owens Cross Rds. AL, Blake Johnson of Huntsville, AL, and Timothy Burchfield of Marion SC. Three great-grandsons, Jake, Carter and Walker Johnson.
Ellen spent her life not only as an educator in the public school system but also teaching Sunday School and adult classes at Huntsville Christian Church where she was an active member. Member of The Gideons International women’s Auxiliary. After teaching 4th grade at Chapman Elementary for 5 years she became known as the television teacher/coordinator with Huntsville Educational Television Station. She is remembered by many for her several television series that viewed in the class room for ETV beginning in 1968. At that time she also became Social Studies Supervisor, K-12, initiating and directed the The Law in Social Studies project which became the model for the law-related program which was then adapted for state-wide use. She was the only person to have served three times on the Alabama Course of Study committee for the Social Studies, thus influencing curriculum over a period of eighteen years.
In 1974 she was awarded the Liberty Bell Award given by the Federal Bar and Huntsville-Madison county Bar Association, The Gravel of Appreciation in 1979 from Alabama Volunteers in Corrections, 1980 Presidents Award from the Alabama State Council for Social Studies, along with several other awards and recognitions. In 1979, she returned to her first love, the classroom, where she taught eight grade social studies at Westlawn Middle School before retiring in1989.
After retirement in 1989, Ellen, continued to educate and serve others by volunteering with the Victims’ Rights Organization, GFWC du Midi Woman’s Club, and became a National Court Appointed special Advocate Association (CASA), and a Court Appointed Juvenile Advocate (CAJA), which she sites as her most rewarding activity. In 1992 she received The Community Services Meritorious Citation Award from the Huntsville Madison county Retired Teachers Association. She was also nominated for Huntsville-Madison County Scroll of Honor.
Visitation will be Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Berryhill Funeral Home. Private Burial will be at Happy Valley Memorial Park in Elizabethton, TN.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of Gentiva Home Health , Gentiva Hospice and Doctor Ligon for all the love and care and support that was provided during her illness. In lieu of flowers, the family is honoring Ellen and Nat’s desire to help spread Gods word through the distribution of Bibles. We ask that donations be made in memory of Ellen to The Gideons International- North Camp, P.O. Box 898, Huntsville, AL 35804 OR online at www.gideons.org
