Katherine Kilbourne was born Feb. 26, 1915 in Minneapolis, Kansas. In 1923 the family moved to Fargo, N.D. where her father became the medical officer for one of five public health demonstration project sites in the United States. She graduated from North Dakota Agricultural College in 1937 and taught home economics and art on Long Island, New York. While there she completed her master's degree from Columbia Universrity in 1939. She then took a job as an instructor in foods and home economics at Wayne State University and remained there until 1947. In 1944 she married Joseph Burgum, a fellow student at the NDAC. In 1947 the couple moved to Arthur, N.D. where he became manager of the local grain elevator. They also managed farms at Arthur and Williston, N.D. Katherine Burgum was active in numerous local organizations. She maintained close ties to her alma mater, North Dakota State University and in 1972 President Loftsgard appointed her acting dean of the College of Home Economics. Perhaps her most visible accomplishments as dean was the building of the Family Life Center. She retired from NDSU in 1980 but remained active in numerous organizations, particularly the NDSU Development Foundation.
From the description of Katherine Kilbourne Burgum papers, 1946-1999. (North Dakota State University Library). WorldCat record id: 54060573
