‘I love this small town’

We are all quite familiar with those electronic devices that allow us to keep on going.

Suzi Burt, recently selected as Blooming Prairie’s Citizen of the Year, is like one of those charging units. She earned the honor for her continued investment in volunteering.

The bespectacled Burt is not ashamed of her age and quickly answers “65” when asked.

“I love this small town,” she said.

Since her arrival in Blooming Prairie as the owner of a hairstyling salon, Burt has not been shuffling her feet. She, instead, has been welcoming any volunteer request that comes her way.

Much of the success of the annual BP Fourth of July parade has been attributed to Burt and others. She has been part of almost every parade, and she and Karen Fouarge will be heading up the 2024 event as well. Over the past two years, the parade has attracted close to 100 units.

Burt’s track record goes back nearly 40 years with her involvement and continued dedication to the Blooming Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce. She handled various jobs including work at the beer garden, serving as events coordinator, helping with button sales and coordinating the pie and pickle contest. She even served one year as chamber secretary.

Burt joined the BP Chamber in 1981 as a business owner. She owned Styles Unlimited on Main Street.

She fondly remembers working with other chamber members, all whom have since passed on:

• George Curtin, Public Utilities

• George Tonolli, Johnson Hardware

• Otto Jensen, Jensen Furniture

• Bud Miller, Continental Telephone

• Dan Detlevson, Super Value

• Stan Frondal, Big T Restaurant

“It was so much fun all of the time,” Burt said. Over the years, “I have worked with Jim Fibiger who is still active in the local chamber,” she added.

Burt will receive the award Thursday, Jan. 18 at the annual chamber meeting held at the BP Servicemen’s Club.

Burt is a 1976 graduate of Rochester John Marshall High School, home of the Rockets. She married in 1977. The couple has four children and nine grandchildren: Crystal, married to Mike Studer, and mother of Jaxon, Ashton and Cora; Jenny, married to Chase Kelner and mother of Kiya, Grahm, Calvin, and Elyse; Adam, father of Lilly, Bella, and Daisy; and Whitney.

Burt said she started dating at age 16 and met her husband Jeff through a friend.

“It seems like forever that I attended junior college,” she said.

Along with beauty school, Burt also completed nursing school. She completed her degree in 2006 and began work as an IV transfusion specialist at the Mayo Clinic. She held that job until her retirement in 2021.

Sister Crystal was an RN at the time Burt attended nursing school. Husband Jeff kept nursing in the family and graduated with Suzi and Crystal. All three graduated together from Augsburg College.

Burt opened her first beauty shop in 1981 on Main Street next to what is now T & T Motorcycle.

Her stylists during her time in business in Blooming Prairie were Marcia Smith, Mabel Peterson, Chris Ohm, and her husband Jeff, who went back to beauty school after studying nursing.

Burt closed her shop in 1986 and began work for the Mayo Clinic in research.

“I loved research because I traveled a lot, too,” she said.

In addition to chamber work, Suzi taught Sunday School, served communion, monitored release school, played in the Reformation Band, taught Brownies and Girl Scouts.

She helped in getting cable television for Blooming Prairie by serving on a city committee.

Other activities included serving on the Education Foundation auction committee and helping with the Backpack program.

Burt also helped pass the recent $34.5 million bond issue by working on a calling campaign committee.

“I am so glad we have kept the schools in Blooming Prairie,” she said.