Funeral services celebrating the life of Emma Jean Hall Burkett, 89, of West Monroe, Louisiana will be held at 1:00 P.M., Saturday, July 18, 2026, in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home of West Monroe with Rev. Jon Tellifero officiating. Interment to follow at Hasley Cemetery, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home.

Visitation will be held from 12:00 P.M. until the time of service at Mulhearn’s.

Emma was born September 5, 1936, to Rufus J. Hall and Audrey Hinson Hall, passed away surrounded by the love she so freely gave throughout her life. She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings, James Hinson Hall and Mary Nell Greenwood; and many nieces and nephews whom she cherished deeply and regarded as her own.

Emma’s faith was a defining part of her life. She joined First United Methodist Church in West Monroe early in her youth and remained a devoted member for decades. She served faithfully in the choir and contributed her time and talents to numerous committees until her health no longer allowed her to attend. Her commitment to her church community was steady, heartfelt, and enduring.

Education was both her calling and her legacy. Emma earned her B.S. Degree and later her Master’s in Elementary Education from Northeast Louisiana University (now ULM). She began her teaching career in the Lake Charles school system before returning home to teach at Drew Elementary. She continued her service in the Ouachita Parish School System, where she ultimately retired as a supervisor. Emma was a proud member of the Phi Mu teaching sorority and remained active in several civic clubs in West Monroe, always finding ways to support and uplift her community.

Emma lived a life marked by service, dedication, and quiet strength. Her influence as an educator, mentor, and friend will continue to be felt by the countless students, colleagues, and loved ones whose lives she touched.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of fifty-eight years, Stanley Burkett; nephews, Paul Greenwood and wife, Debbie, Joel Hall and wife, Tracy; niece, Jan Hall Dugan and husband, Mark; and numerous great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorials are encouraged to be made to First Methodist Church in West Monroe.

We would like to thank everyone for their thoughtfulness, calls, text, visits, and all acts of kindness, but most of all your prayers. Special thanks goes to the staff of the Guest House, Elara Hospice, Doris Thomas and Letha Oney (housekeepers), Lacretia Coleman, Pam Robinson, and Nick Robinson for a job well done in caring for our loved one.