Audrey Burge

1925 - 2022

CARLSBAD, CA — Rev. Audrey Burge, author of LEFT UNSAID, died in her sleep on July 18, 2022 at age 97. Born in Milwaukee, WI, she spent most of her life in Southern California. After graduating from Beverly Hills High School in 1942, she was hired as an aircraft mechanic at Lockheed, working on VEGA I’s and 2’s. There, she met her future husband, T.W. (Bill) Burge and both wanted a college education. In 1943 she earned certificates in aeronautical engineering and aircraft hydraulics from UCLA and Cal Tech. They married in 1944, before Bill went to flight school. After the war, he finished at Cal-berkeley. She looked after their first baby and read his text books while the baby slept. After graduation, his new job afforded enough money to buy their first house in Encino and welcome a second child.

Bill’s job took them to Kansas City for a couple of years, before they settled in Covina, CA. During “the busy years,” besides shuttling the children, she was a teacher’s aide, active in PTA, Little League, a Band Booster, and co-host for her husband’s client dinners. She wrote a column for the Covina Argus-citizen, volunteered on boards and political campaigns, joined a women’s discussion group, and went back to school. A sudden end to her marriage in 1967 spurred her to finish college. In 1968 she earned her B.S. from Cal Poly-pomona and worked eleven years as a social worker for L. A County. There was a short second marriage. In 1979 she was both ordained as a licentiate minister and inducted into the American Institute of Industrial Engineers.

In the early 1980’s Audrey wrote the first operations manual for both the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange and Hughes Helicopters. She “retired” in 1990, mainly to be an available sitter for her young grandchildren. She traveled extensively, visiting all 50 states and scores of countries.

Audrey was a perennial student at Long Beach City College. A writers’ class inspired volumes of published poems and short stories. She won the Ron Drury Award and was invited to attend the prestigious American Academy of Beaux Arts in Paris where she read one of her poems on the step in front of Shakespeare & Co. She was honored as Outstanding Older American of Signal Hill and Los Angeles County in 1999, in recognition of her work with Signal Hill Cultural Arts, Long Beach Community Concerts and the monument project on the top of Signal Hill. She continued to serve on numerous boards, sing in women’s choruses, and joyfully support many educational and artistic endeavors in Signal

Hill and Long Beach. A dream in her 80’s inspired LEFT UNSAID, which was published at age 90.

Audrey moved to La Costa Glen, Carlsbad, CA three weeks before the Covid shut down, but continued to write poetry which was often published in their newsletter. She was a voracious reader with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She believed most of the world’s problems can be resolved through education. Her motto was: “If you can conceive it, you can achieve it.”

Rev. Burge is survived by daughter Pamela Freytag, son Evan Burge, his wife Fay; grandchildren Austin, Julia and Lauren; and great grandchildren Morgan and Parker. In her life she counseled hundreds of people, performed marriages, buried friends and even baptized babies. Her quick wit, bright smile, and brilliance will be missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held at La Costa Glen, Carlsbad, in the Laguna Room on Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made in the name of Rev. Audrey J. Burge at Tunnel to Towers or to the Audrey J. Burge Scholarship Fund at Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA.