Lena W. Buerkle

Lena W. Buerkle, 78, went home to be with her Heavenly Father on February 26, 2025 after a one-year battle with cancer. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:00 p.m., on Saturday, March 8th, at First Baptist Church of Knoxville, where Lena was a member for one year. The family will receive friends from 1:00 - 3:00 pm at the Church. On Tuesday, March 11th from 5:00 - 7:00 pm a Celebration of Life will also be held at Germantown Baptist Church, where Lena served as a Sunday School Director and on various committees & ministry teams. The interment will be on Wednesday, April 2nd, at 2:30pm at DFW National Cemetery. Family and friends will gather at 2:00 pm for a processional to the cemetery at Jeter & Sons Funeral home located at 4830 W Illinois Ave, Dallas, TX 75211. If you are not able to join the processional, you may go directly to the cemetery located at 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75211 Memorial gifts may be given to the following: 1. Two by Two Ministry, 515 Oliver St., Conway, Arkansas 72034, 501-730-1630, tony@twobytwoministry.com 2. Weston-Davis Ministry, 515 Oliver St., Conway, Arkansas 72034, 501-730-1630, http://www.weston-davis.com/ 3. First Baptist Church of Arlington, 300 S. Center Street, Arlington, TX 76010, Attention Charles Wade. 817-277-6353, http://www.fbca.org 4. Germantown Baptist Church, 9450 Poplar Ave., Germantown, TN. 38139, Attention: Josh Creason, 901-756-9450. 5. First Baptist Church Knoxville, TN 510 West Main Street, Knoxville, TN 37902, Attention Josh Gibson 865-246-4678. jgibson@fbcknox.org. Lena was born on February 21, 1947, in Jonesboro, Arkansas to James E. (Jim) and Shirley Barnes Weston. She attended public schools in Pine Bluff, McGee, Turrell, & Jonesboro, Arkansas, graduating from Jonesboro High School in 1965. Lena earned an AA Degree from Williams Baptist University (FKA Southern Baptist College) in 1967, a BSE Degree in Business Education from Arkansas State University in 1971, and an MBA with a specialization in real estate from Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1976. Upon graduation from SMU Lena began her 32-year banking and commercial real estate career with Lomas & Nettleton in Dallas as a loan officer/vice president. She then worked with her husband for ten years after he started his own diversified commercial real estate firm in the Dallas/Fort Worth/MidCities area. Lena joined Texas American Bank in 1987 (which later became TeamBank/FAMCO/Banc One/ORIX/KeyBank) where she remained for 21 years serving as Vice President in the REO, commercial loan servicing, & compliance & training departments. Lena started her own personal service business in 2009 as well as becoming a greeting card & gifts distributor/trainer. She relocated from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Memphis in 2010 to help care for her Mother and relocated from Memphis to Knoxville in 2024 to be cared for by Rick & Megan. Ms. Buerkle became a Christian in 1955 and was a past member of First Baptist Church of Turrell, Arkansas, North Main Baptist Church, Jonesboro, Arkansas, Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, TX, First Baptist Church of Arlington, TX, Germantown Baptist Church of Germantown Tennessee, and First Baptist Church of Knoxville. Lena is survived by her two sons, Richard L. Buerkle, II (Megan) of Knoxville, TN and Ryan L. Buerkle (Joy) of Grand Prairie, TX, her two brothers, Larry Weston (Melody) of Memphis, TN, Tony Weston (Judy) of Conway, AR, and numerous extended family members. She was preceded in death by Richard, her husband of 35 years, her father, James E. Weston and her mother. She leaves behind a host of good friends that she loved dearly. Knoxville arrangements by Rose Funeral & Cremation – Mann, Dallas arrangements by Jeter and Sons Funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.rosefuneraltn.com

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Lena W. Buerkle

February 21, 1947 - February 26, 2025