Virginia Deen Burdette

Virginia Deen Burdette, 83, of Moultrie, passed away Friday, March 12, 2021 in her home surrounded by her loving family.

            Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Monday, March 15, 2021 at Kingwood Baptist Church with the Rev. Matt Greene and the Rev. Jimmy Albritton officiating.  Interment will follow in the Deen Cemetery Plot at Westview Cemetery.   Social distancing guidelines will be followed, and masks are recommended.

            The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM- 11:00 AM Monday at the church.

            Casketbearers will be DeWayne Deen, Craig Deen, Allen McLeod, Matthew Shuping, Brandon Johnson and Jared Peek.  Honorary casketbearers will include the management, past and present employees of the Radio Station WMTM-AM-FM, members of the Order of the Eastern Star and friends of the Hardee’s breakfast group. 

            Born October 6, 1937 in Colquitt County, she was a lifelong resident of Moultrie and Colquitt County.  She was the daughter of the late Rev. Lewis Harrison Deen and Lucy Taylor Deen.  Ms. Burdette served as pianist at several area churches in earlier years and was presently a member of Kingwood Baptist Church where she served as organist since the early 1980’s.  She was an active member of the Order of Eastern Star since 1970.  She held many local and state positions in this organization including serving as Worthy Grand Martron of the Grand Chapter of Georgia in 1986-87, after which she served as State Treasurer for fourteen years.  Ms. Burdette will likely be most remembered by locals as “Girl Friday at the radio station.” In July of 1955, following graduation from Moultrie High School, where she graduated with honors, she was employed by Radio Station WMTM-AM (now Colquitt Broadcasting Company LLC, WMTM-AM-FM) where she retired after 60 years of loyal service.  She once stated in an interview with the Observer that having seen and been a part of many changes in the radio industry she truly “loved old radio but had grown to respect what we call new radio.”

            In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandparents, Emma (Key) and Lewis Deen, Mettie and Wiley Taylor; beloved brother, Hubert H. Deen; beloved nephew, Jason Deen.

            Survivors include her son, Scott Burdette and wife Wanda; grandchildren, Michael Burdette, Amber Burdette Peek and husband Jared, Elizabeth Burdette Johnson and husband Brandon; the mother of her grandchildren, Michelle Saladin Burdette; great-grandchildren, Payton Jones, Natalie Peek, Austin Peek, Lillian Johnson, and Waylon Johnson; brothers, Charles M. Deen and wife Barbara Ann, Larry Deen and wife Karen; nephews, DeWayne Deen, Craig Deen, Kacey Deen; nieces, Barbie Deen Shuping and husband Matt, Sonya Deen Hartley and husband Jeff, Abbie Deen McLeod and husband Allen; several great nephews, nieces and other family members.