CHAMPAIGN – Dana Buerkett, 47, of Champaign, the rock of her family and a leader of her community, died Sunday morning (July 24, 2011).

Mrs. Buerkett was born in Urbana on May 30, 1964, the first daughter of Vernon and Kay (Sparks) Ehler. She graduated in 1982 from Rantoul Township High School, where she was a standout in several sports, including volleyball. While in high school, she was selected to participate on the Junior Olympics volleyball team. She attended Eastern Illinois University, studying marketing.

In 1983, she married Jon Buerkett in Rantoul. They became the proud parents of two daughters, Ashley and Morgan.

Mrs. Buerkett was a woman of great faith. She and her family attended Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Champaign, where she was a longtime volunteer. She participated in Bible study groups and devoted many hours to helping operate the Grace Lutheran Food Pantry. She was passionate about helping those in need, volunteering at many organizations throughout the Champaign-Urbana community, including Roundhouse, Champaign-Urbana Junior League and The High School of Saint Thomas More in Champaign, among others.

She spent more than 20 years in marketing, most of that time as the owner and operator of Buerkett Marketing Consultants. She later served as vice president of Roundtable Media, and most recently ran Dana Buerkett Inc. All were successful full-service integrated ad agencies that offered both traditional and new media services. From 2008 to 2009, she served a term as president of the American Advertising Federation of Central Illinois. One of her proudest achievements was winning the Zimmerman Award, an honor reserved for a distinguished Advertising Club member who has provided extraordinary contributions to the local advertising community.

She was thrilled when her daughter, Ashley, chose a career in graphic design.

Mrs. Buerkett embraced cutting-edge technology, advising friends on everything from smart telephones to coffeemakers. She was a wonderful listener who never judged and always offered wise solutions. She treated everyone with dignity and respect, and cherished every member of her family, including the family dogs, Fran and Stan.

When her children were younger, Mrs. Buerkett combined two of her passions - her daughters and sports - to serve as coach of the volleyball team at Holy Cross Grade School. She also enjoyed horsemanship and western riding, as well as long distance running.

She and her daughter, Morgan, ran in a half-marathon in Montecito, Calif., on July 16, 2011, to help raise funds in honor of her uncle, Jim Sparks, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. She later told friends that she loved running with Morgan, beginning their race listening to "The Lazy Song," by Bruno Mars, and finishing to George Strait's "Life's Not the Breaths you Take," a song that features the refrain, "Life's not the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away."

Mrs. Buerkett was joined in death by her husband, Jon, and daughter, Morgan. She is survived by her daughter, Ashley Buerkett of Chicago; her parents, Vernon and Kay Ehler of Rantoul; her brother, Dane (Lisa) Ehler of Thomasboro; her sister, Danette (Dave) Higinbotham of Greensburg, Pa.; and nephews Shane (Kara) Ehler of Norfolk, Va., Nick Higinbotham of Greensburg, Pa., Tony Higinbotham of Greensburg, Pa., Dominic Higinbotham, of Greensburg, Pa., and a niece, Taylor Ehler, of Champaign.

Visitation is scheduled from 4 until 8 p.m. Friday, July 29, at The High School of Saint Thomas More in Champaign. A private memorial service will be held. Memorials may be made to Grace Food Pantry, 313 S. Prospect Ave., Champaign, IL, 61821.

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