Rudene Delores Leeks Burton was so sweet, so kind, and so humble. Her sense of humor and wittiness will never be forgotten. Her soft-spoken spirit always shined through as a beacon of light.

Rudene was born on June 30, 1938, in Tampa, Florida. She was the daughter of the late Mr. T heodore R. Leeks and Mrs. Delia Leeks. She was the sixth of seven children, along with siblings who preceded her in death, Elois Neal, Elouise Cummings, Della Holton, Robert Leeks, Sr., Austin Leeks, and Theodore Leeks, Jr.

Rudene accepted Christ at an early age and attended church regularly. She was a pianist for her church Sunday School. She was educated in Hillsborough county and was an excellent student. She often received awards for her participation in oratorical speaking.

Rudene attended college at Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama. She was a member of the Foreign Language Club and was a College Ambassador. She also pledged and became a member of Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Foreign Languages.

She advanced her education and received her Master of Science Degree in Foreign Languages from Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia.

She became a teacher and taught in Clearwater, Florida, for two years.

Rudene was joined in holy matrimony on December 22, 1960, to the late Mr. Leroy Burton, Sr., in Birmingham, Alabama. To this union, they had two children, Leroy Burton II and Leigh Anne Burton (Jackson).

After marriage, she moved to Birmingham, Alabama. She taught French, Spanish, and English in the Jefferson County school system and retired after 28 years of service. She was also a faithful member of Williams Chapel C.M.E. Church.

Rudene was a Faithful Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, Daughter, Neighbor, and all of "That" to everyone that knew and loved her.

In addition to her siblings, Rudene was preceded in death by nieces and nephews, Roy Cummings, Wayne Cummings and Darlene Houston, and Theodore Leek III, Ilene Hudson, and Barbara Sheffield.

She leaves to cherish many loving memories: her two children, Leroy (Shug) Burton II of Birmingham, AL, and Leigh Anne Burton (Jackson) of Albany, GA; grandchildren, Tamika (Andre) Burton Ivey of Montgomery, AL, Lyndsey Burton of Birmingham, Lynelle Burton of Birmingham, Leroy Burton III of Birmingham, Bre Niya Burton of Birmingham, Cedric Jackson, Jr., of Albany, GA, and Brodric Jackson of Albany, GA; great-grandchildren, Amari Ivey, Amerie Ivey, Amani Ivey, Arya Evans, Aiden Reed, Levon Burton, Chri'Nya Burton, Ro' Myiah Burton Smith, and Yunique Burton Turner; nieces and nephews, Michael (Hattie Holden) Cummings, Linda Cummings, Melody Cummings Beasly, Ceceila Brown, Gail Cummings, Ronald Cummings, Darryl Neal, Muriel Yvette (Richard, Sr.) Barr, Linda (James, Sr.) Bealts, Robert (Sharon) Leek, Jr., Paul (Melissa) Leek, Sr. Sabrena (Fred) Davis, Angela Holton, Terrence Holton, Torrence Holten, Faylynn (Curtis), and Leek Looper; Good friends Betty Berry of Orlando, Florida and Barbara Washington of Augusta, Georgia. And her Very Best Friend, "Ride or Die" Mrs. Marva Harris Burns; and a host of other family members and friends.