Neva (Sem) Burdick

Neva Rae (Sem) Burdick, 76, of Hager City, died Thursday, October 28, 2021, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester.  She was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota to Irving and Eline (Pederson) Sem on August 14, 1945, the day World War II ended.  She grew up one of four children on the family dairy farm north of Underwood, Minnesota.  The farm was nearly surrounded by Anna Lake.  She learned how to work hard, milk cows, and care for animals.  Several dozen cousins lived on neighboring farms.  The extended family spent many summer evenings swimming in Otter Tail Lake or fishing on Anna Lake.  Family celebrations for Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, and other events occurred often year-round.

She attended 8 years of elementary school in a one-room country school.  After beginning high school at West Central School of Agriculture, Morris, Minnesota, she transferred to North West School of Agriculture, Crookston, Minnesota, where she graduated in 1963.  She then attended two years at Lutheran Bible Institute, Golden Valley.

Neva worked for the Billy Graham organization in Minneapolis where she learned to program IBM business computers.  For a couple of years, she was a missionary in Los Angeles.  In 1983, she moved to Red Wing where she taught computer programming at Minnesota State College SE Tech for 25 years.

On November 11, 1995, she was united in marriage to Chesnia Burdick at the Temple in Glenview, Illinois.  She married when she was 50 and Chet was 53, so there were no children.  They lived a very happy life together.  In addition to playing an important role in the lives of nieces and nephews, she enjoyed many family gatherings.  While a member of the church she served all callings a female can hold from nursery to relief society president.

She is survived by her husband, Chesnia; two brothers, Gilmore and Courtney and several nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Bonita.

Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, November 2, 2021, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 580 Hi Park Avenue, Red Wing, Minnesota.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Burial will be Wednesday, at 2:00 p.m. at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.  Arrangements were by the Mahn Family Funeral Home.