Mrs. William Burleigh, Jr.
Mrs. William Burleigh, Jr., died at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, in the New York Memorial Hospital after a long illness. Funeral services are to be held Thursday, Oct. 23, in Washington, D. C.
Mrs. Burleigh, a true Aramco pioneer wife, arrived in Jiddah as a bride 20 years ago. She was graduated from Sweet Briar College, Va., and did graduate work at the University of Maryland and the University of California. She met her husband when she was attending the University of Maryland. She was a member of a Five Women National Intercollegiate Rifle team in her sophomore year.
The Jiddah of 1938 was without modem utilities. Those who wished electricity provided their own power plants. Drinking water was imported. Water for other needs was supplied by donkey cart delivery. There was no air conditioning and no glass or screens for the windows. Despite these handicaps Mrs. Burleigh made a charming home which became the social center of the foreign group of Jiddah.
Anita Burleigh also had the distinction of being the first American woman to cross Saudi Arabia from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf by caravan. This came about when the Burleighs were included in the party of the late King, H. M. 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Sa'ud when he came to the Eastern Province to celebrate the first shipment of oil from Saudi Arabia.
When Aramco women were evacuated during World War II Mrs. Burleigh occupied herself with Red Cross work. As she had graduate work in psychiatry she aided in mental therapy work as a psychiatric social worker at Walter Reed Hospital and for the Veterans Administration.
When the Burleighs were transferred to Dhahran the Burleigh home at House 1222 became a hospitable center where all newcomers to Saudi Arabia were made welcome. The Burleighs also have Stateside residences in Washington, D.C. and Lakeworth, Fla.
Mrs. Burleigh's work in the Dhahran Woman's Groups, the APAR and other community activities will be long remembered.
Surviving Mrs. Burleigh are her husband, her son William Burleigh III and her parents Mr. and Mrs. William Peters, 1615 N. Lakeside Drive, Lakeworth, Fla.
In lieu of flowers Mr. Burleigh has requested that donations be made to the cancer fund. Local contributions are being received by Jeanne Anderson, Room 3034, Administration Building North. [Photograph]