For the past 47 years, Leah Burks has stood behind Dr. David Burks.
Leah Burks, who graduated from what then was Harding College in 1965 and married David Burks shortly thereafter, has a Harding story of her own.
As a Harding student, she pledged Zeta Rho and served as club president several times. David Burks was an honorary beau, Leah Burks said.
Leah Burks said her social club involvement provided some of her favorite memories of being a student. Although David and Leah Burks were not dating at the time, she was a queen for his club and she said all of the activities and friendships of being a student, her club sisters and his club brothers supplied many of her memories of being a student at the school.
After David and Leah Burks eventually moved back to Searcy after graduating, Leah Burks, having a degree in English and a minor in art, taught at schools in both Bradford and Central; two schools close to Searcy.
“I taught English at Bradford and then I taught English and art at Central,” Leah Burks said. “Then I taught art at the Academy. … I taught 7th-12th in English and then art was one through 12.”
Although she no longer teaches, she still remains busy.
“Oh, I like to read,” Leah Burks said. “I like to travel. I garden a lot. Spending time with my friends. I’m in several luncheon groups and Bunco groups and of course my grandchildren and kids.”
When she is not busy reading or gardening, she is busy entertaining numerous guests and traveling.
“I’ve met Margaret Thatcher, both Bush’s, Barbara Bush and Gorbachev,” Leah Burks said. “All of these people have been in my home and I would have never dreamed of the friendships and the opportunities to travel and meet all of these wonderful people. I’ve been to China, Africa, Europe and Australia.”
Leah Burks said that although she was quite naive when David Burks became president and she was unaware of the challenges that lay before them, she is thankful that they have been able to have such a wonderful experience and have had the opportunities during his presidency at Harding.
With two sons currently teaching at the university, her children, daughter-in-laws and all of her grandchildren having attended Harding Academy, the Burks have deep family ties to Harding. According to Leah Burks, her children came because they wanted to, because they love Harding too.
As far as her life with President David Burks after his soon-to-be retirement, she does not foresee much change in the future.
“I really don’t think things will change that much,” Leah Burks said. “We won’t have the 24/7 responsibilities or the stress, but I really don’t think things will change that much. I anticipate that we’ll continue to travel and maybe have more freedom, but he’ll probably go to the office pretty much every day. … Harding is his life.”
