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Les “Chieco” Burden 73, of Calhoun, Kentucky died peacefully Thursday, May 28, 2020 at his home near Calhoun after a long battle with ALS. Leslie Curtis Burden was born May 26, 1947 in Livermore, Kentucky to the late Forest A. and Geneva Riley Burden, was married to the former Marcella Ann Daniels December 16, 1966 and was known as “Chieco” to both his family and friends. Les was a graduate of Livermore High School where he was a star basketball player from 1962 to 1968. It was during this time that he met the love of his life, Marcella Ann Daniels. Les was a jet mechanic in the U.S. Air Force, serving four years in South Carolina, Taiwan, Okinawa, and Vietnam. He was a loyal member of Island United Methodist Church, devoted 27 years to Big Rivers Power Plant as Operations Supervisor and then went on to spend 8 years in the Philippines in operations at the coal fire powerplants. Les was computer savvy, loved taking pictures of family and friends, always having his camera in his shirt pocket ready to snap a picture. He enjoyed annual Christmas candy making, UK basketball and loved any opportunity to teach his kids and grandkids with the wealth of knowledge he had to share. Anyone who knew Les, knows he welcomed the chance to ask you, “How’s your Soul?” In addition to his parents, Les was preceded in death by five brothers, Eugene Burden, Gerald Burden, Mervin Burden, Richard Burden and Billy Burden and by two sisters, Wilma Williams and Ruth Patterson.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Marcella Burden; two sons, Ronnie Burden (LaDonna) and Scott Burden (Sara) both of Owensboro; a daughter, Kimberly Burden Bennett (Heath) of Island; twelve grandchildren, Forest Burden, Chloe Burden, Keaghan Burden, Corey Bennett, Cherokee Bennett, Chase Bennett, Chenoa Bennett, Whitney Alsup (Brad), Molly Burden, Michael Howard, Avery Burden, and Landon Burden; a great granddaughter, Adeline Alsup; a brother, Jack Burden of Livermore; two sisters, Margie Haney (Mike) of Whitesville and Doris Evans (Gary) of Beech Grove; several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
Family services will be held Sunday, May 31, 2020 at Muster Funeral Homes, Livermore Chapel with the Revs. Eric Espada and Jeff Graham officiating. Burial will be in the Island Community Cemetery in McLean County with Military Honors conducted by the McLean County Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Post # 5415. Friends may visit with Les’ family from 3:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Saturday and from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. Sunday at Musters in Livermore. In compliance with health and public safety directives, capacity for both days of Les’ visitation will be limited in accordance with state guidelines.
Les’ services will be streamed live on www.musterfuneralhomes.com. at 2:00 P.M. Sunday.
The Les Burden family wants to send a sincere and special thank you to Les’ caregivers, Erin Coley and Lisa Colburn. Also a special thank you to the VA staff and to each family member and friend that offered a helping hand or said a prayer along the way in Les’ fight against ALS.
The Les Burden family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to Island United Methodist Church; 380 West Main Street; Island, Kentucky 42350. Memorial contribution envelopes will be available at Musters in Livermore.
Share your memories and photos of Les at musterfuneralhomes.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Les 'Chieco' Burden, please visit our floral store.
Island United Methodist Church
380 West Main Street, Island KY 42350