Ruth Arleene Burnison, 83, of Essex passed away on May 23, 2011 at the Garden View Care Center in Shenandoah, Iowa.

Arleene was born on November 29, 1927 in rural Essex, Iowa, the daughter of Perl C. and Violet E. (Holmes) Johnson. She was the second oldest of eight siblings. On Oct. 12, 1947 she was united in marriage to Glen Burnison in Shenandoah, Iowa. Glen passed away on March 21, 1985.

Arleene graduated from Shenandoah High School with the Class of 1944. She held jobs at such businesses as Henry Fields Seed Company, First National Bank in Essex, Burnison Cabinet & Supply (the family business), Central Surveys and Dutton Insurance in Red Oak.

She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Essex. She was also involved in several clubs such as the American Legion Auxiliary, where she was a 40 year member, the 20th Century Club, the Order of the Eastern Star, where she was a 50 year member, the Red Hat Society and various church organizations.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 37 years, Glen; two sisters Ruby Livingston and Shirley Bengtson; and two brothers Glen Johnson and Oren Johnson.

Those left to cherish her memory include her sons Mike Burnison and wife Linda of Essex and Dave Burnison and wife Sharon of Orland Park, IL; grandchildren Amy (Tom) Comstock of Council Bluffs, Adam (Stephanie) Burnison of Essex, Alan (Mike) Burnison of Omaha, Jeffrey, Rachel and Amanda Burnison of Orland Park, IL; great-grandchildren Ciara and Lexi Burnison; sisters Eloise (Harold) Dinsmore of Farragut and Joann Bergman of Las Vegas; brother Gary (Peg) Johnson of Essex; brother-in-law Kenneth Livingston of Farragut; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.