Mary Elizabeth Burleson

Mary Elizabeth (Moore) Burleson, age 78, May 4, 2026 in passed at home after a brief illness. She was born April 1, 1948 in Ancón, Panama to Clifford Moore and Dorothy Jean Straus. She married Ralph Michael Burleson on December 31, 1969 in the San Fernando Valley in California.

Mary was born in Ancón at the Gorgas Hospital in Panama and raised in the Panama Canal Zone while her family lived there.  She showed her determination early by overcoming polio at age 6. She practiced every day in the community pool to relearn to walk. Her family later emigrated to the States when she was around 10 years old.

Mary lived in St. Petersburg, Florida for a time before settling in Burbank, California. She was an accomplished artist and loved to draw portraits and landscapes. Her favorite mediums were watercolors and oil pastels.

Her husband, Mike, was stationed in various parts of the world with his job of setting up telecommunications and Mary would often visit him.

She got to see Shanghai, China, Athens, Greece, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait City. He was once offered 6 camels for Mary when they stayed with a group of traveling Bedouins!

Mary lived a life of generosity and giving. She was always willing to help others and loved to socialize and meet new people. Her greatest joy was her children and the day she got to be eternally sealed to them, her husband, and parents.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Kimberly (Thomas) Zulewski, her brother Clifford (Regina) Moore and her aunt Margaret Edwards. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph “Mike” Michael, her son, Jeffrey Joseph Burleson and her parents, Clifford Moore and Dorothy Jean (Straus) Romeyn.

A special thank you goes out to the St. George Hospice team of Intermountain Health for their care and support.

Funeral services will be on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 10:00am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 446 E. Magnum Road in Washington, UT. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 9:45am preceding the funeral. Interment will be at the Enterprise City Cemetery under the direction of McMillan Mortuary 435.688.8880.