The Gift: New Keyes Park Fountain; Walter & Lucretia Burroughs remembered

The late Walter and Lucretia Burroughs of Du Quoin were hallmarks of lives well lived--a tremendous marriage and caring for this community and the people in it. Walter passed away on Sunday, December 28, 2014 at the age of 99. Lucretia passed away on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at the age of 88. Their lives are remembered by the installation of a new stainlee steel water fountain on the East Park Street side of Keyes City Park just east of the restrooms. The fountain, which will cool children and their parents, concert goers and visitors is a gift from the Burroughs family. The Burroughs have two daughters--Carolyn Loving and husband Kenneth of Marion and Linda McClanahan of Roswell, GA. The city has been working with Carolyn on the project. Walter attended high school in Elkville and grade school at the Burroughs school. After graduating in 1934, he continued farming with his brother and was also employed as a miner at Old Kathleen Mine. Walter entered the United States Army in 1942 and served as a communication specialist with the 583rd radar outfit in the Pacific. After the war, he returned to farming and mining at New Kathleen Mine until 1958. He then worked for the Perry County Housing Authority for twenty-five years before retiring in 1985. Walter was a member of the First Baptist Church in Du Quoin and the UMWA. Lucretia was a homemaker. She had worked at Du Quoin Insurance Agency, Du Quoin National Bank, Marshall Browning Hospital and the Du Quoin Packing Company. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Du Quoin and had been a Sunday School teacher for many years. She was a member of the Euzilian Sunday School Class and was on many church committees including the constitution committee of the church. The value of the gift is not being talked about, but we do know from the installation of a similar fountain in downtown Du Quoin two years ago, the value of the fountain and installation is upwards of $8,000. A dedication ceremony is planned in the coming weeks, according to Steve Bookstaver of the Du Quoin Park Board.