SPARTA – Audrey Alma Burkhardt, 82, of Sparta, died at 9:20 pm, Sunday, July 27, 2025, at Randolph County Care Center, after a battle with Alzheimer's.

She was born on October 29, 1942, in St. Louis, MO, to Albert and Alice (Schierbaum) Burkhardt. Audrey was the second child born to her parents. Audrey's sister, Vivian, was 9 years older. When Audrey was 6 years old, the Burkhardt family moved to Campbell Hill, IL. Later, living on top of the Hill, Audrey attended grade school in Campbell Hill and high school at Trico. After graduation, Audrey married Raymond Steel of Steeleville and had two children: Amy J. Steele (aka A J Burkhardt) and Adam Steele.

Audrey worked at Spartan Printing for 25 years. She started as a bindery worker and worked her way up to the sample room. Then she was promoted to the front office where she became the first female customer service representative at Spartan Printing. After leaving Spartan Printing, she moved and worked in various factories. In 2008, she retired from her last job at Kohl's Department Store in Bridgeton, MO.

Audrey was a strong loving mother. Her children and grandchildren were the light of her life, and she strove to enrich their lives and her own. She believed in encouraging independent thought and was always a student of self-improvement. She was an avid reader since childhood, reading many books of all types. She attended classes at night at Belleville Area College. She was an accomplished seamstress, designing and sewing clothes for herself, her children, even her daughter and daughter-in-law's wedding dresses. She sewed quilts, curtains, pillows, flags and banners. She also excelled at needlepoint and other crafts.

In 1982, Audrey declared her belief in Baha'u'llah and became a member of the Baha'i Faith, the first known Baha'i in Sparta. As an isolated believer, she connected to the worldwide Baha'i community through books, acquiring a substantial Baha'i library. Audrey visited Haifa, Israel twice on spiritual pilgrimage; in 1984 and 2008. She served for many years on the Heartland Baha'i School Committee and later was elected to the Local Spiritual Assemblies of North St. Louis County and University City, MO. Over the years, she hosted many devotional meetings, study circles, and other Baha'i meetings in her home.

In her life's journey, and in a humble posture of learning, Audrey married and divorced Raymond Steele, Jeffrey Stevenson, Gordon Wagner, and James Wilson.

She was preceded in death by her parents, here sister, her son-in-law, Kim Blanks, daughter-in-law, Leslie Steele, and her grandson, Kevin E. Blanks.

She is survived by her daughter, A J Burkhardt of Sparta, her son, Adam Steele of Walsh, her grandsons, Kyle Steele (Stacy) and Sefton Steele, her granddaughter, Yaley Rountree (Donald), and her great granddaughters: Sofia Steele, Everly and Laynie Rountree, all of Sparta and Walsh. Audrey is also survived by a niece, nephews, lifelong friend Delores Blake and many friends.

Graveside services will be held at Caledonia Cemetery, Sparta, IL, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 10:00 am, with a Celebration of Life immediately following at the Lion's Club in Sparta, IL. Memorials may be given to the Alzheimer's Association and can be mailed to Wilson's Funeral Home, P.O. Box 277, Ava, IL 62907.