Louise (Ese) Burkhart Agner, 99, died Friday, April 8 (2011) in Harrison.
Born in Spencer County, Ind., on April 4, 1912, to Boyd and Nola Burkhart, Louise spent her childhood on a farm in southern Indiana. She and her siblings usually walked back and forth to their one-room schoolhouse each day, but on rainy or snowy days, they got to ride the family buggy horse to school.
After graduating from Rockport High School, she moved to Chicago in 1930 and married Robert Agner, also of Spencer County, that same year. They lived in Chicago for eight years, then moved to Evansville, Ind., where they remained until 1957 when they moved to Los Alamos, N.M. They hiked and camped all over the Southwest through most of the western National Parks and Alaska. Their favorite spots included Canyonlands in Utah and Arizona, the Grand Canyon country, and all the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. One of the highlights of Louis's life was backpacking across the Grand Canyon country, and all of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. One of the highlights of Louis's life was backpacking across the Grand Canyon when she was almost 60 years old. She also rode the mule train in to the Canyon on several occasions.
When her husband retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1979, they returned to Evansville, Ind. to care for the family farm. Robert, her husband of 55 years, died in 1985, and the following year Louise moved to Harrison.
Shortly after arriving in Harrison, she joined the Newcomers' Club and became leader of the Hiking group. She led the group on numerous fun hikes along the many Buffalo River trails for several years. She came to love the Ozarks almost as much the Southwest, and enjoyed showing visitors local landmarks and especially the many caves in the area. Soon after moving to Harrison, she began taking art lessons from Nova Gresham Jackson, and became an accomplished amateur artist. She was an animal lover and devoted herself to her dogs and cats.
Her survivors include her two daughters and sons-in-law, Sherry and Bill Cornwell of Mooresville, Ind. and Pat and Fred Wittman of Harrison; one grandson, Michael Lee Cornwell of Indiana and one great-grandson, Michael Robert Cornwell of Indiana; two brothers, Billy Burkhart of Houston, Texas and Boyd Burkhart of Lakewood, Colo.; one sister, Jeanne Marshall, of Norco, La.; and several nieces and nephews.
There will be no local funeral services. Cremation is being handled by Coffman Funeral Home. It was her wish that her ashes be scattered over favorite sites in her beloved Southwest.
Memorial contributions may be made to Ozark Humane Society, P.O. Box 542, Harrison AR. 72602 or to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 424 East 92nd Street, New York, N.Y. 10128.
Online condolences may be left at www.coffmanfh.com.
