Henry Spurlin Burress was born in Carterville on August 18, 1912 to Spurlin J. Burress and Rie Andrea Henry. Henry’s father was a coal miner and was likely working a local coal mine at the time. By the time the 1920 federal census was taken, his father, 28-year-old Spurlin had moved the family to live in Johnston City at 600 N. Water St. where he worked in another coal mine as an electrician. The family owned the home they lived in but it had a mortgage on it. There were two children in the home, Henry 7 and Juanita aged 1 year, 10 months.
By the 1930 census, the family had moved to Marion and were living at 1013 N. Market St. with the father working as a coal mine superintendent. The parents, both in their late 30’s, now still only had two children in the home, Henry 17 and Juanita aged 12. They owned the home they lived in and valued it at $2,000.
On January 1, 1938, Henry got married to Winifred Burkhart in Benton, Illinois. Winifred was born on November 12, 1913 and was the daughter of William Spiller Burkhart and Jessie May Brainerd. The Burkhart family were a prominent family in Marion and owned a number of residential lots on N. Market Street in Marion.
When the 1940 census was taken Henry was working as a truck driver for a coal company and Winifred was a bookkeeper for the Coal Belt Company (Missouri Pacific). They were living in a rental home at 710 N. Court Street and Henry’s income for the previous year was $784. In the same year, Henry filled out his WWII draft record in Marion. He was 28 years old and working for McLaren Coal Company. He and Winifred were living on N. Court Street in their rental home. Henry was physically described as 5’ 10 ½”, 180 lbs., with grey eyes, brown hair and a light complexion. It was noted that he had limited hearing (likely due to working around heavy equipment.)
Henry went into the U.S. Army on October 15, 1942 and trained at Ft. Bragg, N.C. He ended up driving a half track with the 14th Armored Division and was discharged from the Army on October 18, 1943. According to his obit, after he left the Army, he worked in the shipyards at Evansville, Indiana until he returned to Marion in 1944.
He then began working for E.T. Simonds Construction Company and Triangle Companies. He worked in construction for the next 25 years, working for about 15 years on the construction of Interstate 57 (I57) until his retirement from construction in 1987.
By 1962, Henry and Winifred were living at her parents’ home at 910 N. Market Street, on the corner of Stockton St. with her father, William S. Burkhart. Her mother Jessie had passed away in 1957 and after her father’s death in 1965, the couple would end up living out their years there, even though the house was severely damaged in the May 1982 tornado that hit Marion.
In 1963, Henry was instrumental in the construction of the Marion Youth Center (Teen Town) building near the Marion reservoir on E. Boulevard Street. He not only helped lay the concrete blocks but also cut off his left index finger while operating a power saw.
In 1964, an organization called Marion Youth, Inc. organized a club called Big Brothers and Henry served as Vice President while Rex Presson was President.
Henry filed a petition to run for Marion Park Board Commissioner in 1965 and was elected to the position along with Carlyle Sims. It was noted when he ran for this position that he was working for E.T. Simonds Construction Company.
In 1968, Henry was hired by the City of Marion to become their street superintendent and grade operator.
In 1969, Henry was re-elected to the Marion Park Board and was elected Vice President with Dr. James Felts being President.
Through the late 1960’s and early 1970’s Henry was on the advisory board for the Civil Defense.
In 1971, Henry was re-elected once more to the Park Board but resigned in 1974 due to ill health after having served 10 years.
In August 1977, Henry quit the street department and was replaced by Bob Sanders. His plan was to open an antique sales business with his wife. It was noted at the time that he had worked the Park Board from 1965 until 1974, formerly worked for McLaren Coal Company, was once a supervisor of auditors at the Ordill Ordnance Plant and an operating engineer for E.T. Simonds Company.
Henry put his name on the ballot to run for Marion City Commissioner in 1979 and won that election, serving under Mayor Robert L. Butler as Street Commissioner. He was then re-elected again for a second term in 1981 and again for a third term in 1983, serving out his term until 1987. His father, Spurlin J. Burress, passed away in 1981.
At the end of his third term as commissioner in 1987, Henry decided to completely retire from work so he didn’t place his name on the ballot for the next election cycle. However, he changed his mind and tried getting people to vote him back in as a write-in. Henry commented that “I couldn’t see myself sitting idle all the time. I want something to do all the time.” The write-in hopes fell flat however and that ended Henry’s political life.
Henry S. Burress, age 89, passed away on June 23, 2002 in the Veteran’s Administration Nursing Care Center of Marion. He was a member of the Marion First Baptist Church, the Marion Elks Club, the Masonic Fellowship of Marion and the Williamson County Shrine Club.
He was survived by his wife, Winifred of Marion; daughter and son in law, Phoebe and Dr. Richard G. Bursua of Marion; two grandsons, Brian Matthew Bursua and his wife, Angela of Seattle, Washington, and Adam Joel Bursua of Chicago; sister, Juanita Winters of Marion; several nieces and nephews; and brother in law, Dr. James W. Burkhart of Muskogee, Ok. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Winifred Hudgens passed away on July 30, 2011 at Country Acres Assisted Living in Marion and burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
(Sources: Federal Census records, WWII Draft records, BIRL VA records, Marion City street directories, Marion City Cemetery records, The Southern Illinoisan and Marion Daily Republican newspapers. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 9/21/2024)