Mary Burns' Obituary
Heaven's warm welcome greeted another angel's homecoming on Saturday, June 8, 2013 with the passing of Mary Joan "Cookie" (Donahue) Burns, 81, resident of Lorain, who died at home in the loving presence of her family under the care of New Life Hospice. She was born May 9, 1932 to Thomas Fred and Mary Catherine (Fein) Donahue in Akron, Ohio.
A transplant to the Lorain area, Joan was raised in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, attending St. Joseph's Catholic Church and Grade School before graduating in 1950 from St. Vincent High School, Akron. She graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Education in 1954. Joan then became a teacher of Home Economics at South Amherst High School, South Amherst.
Married in August of 1959 after being introduced to her future husband of 52 years, Mrs. Burns retired from teaching to begin her new home and family that (eventually) included her eight children.
Joan's huge heart and great capacity for love were used to benefit those whose lives she touched, without exception. She accepted others despite their differences or troubles, doing so with an open heart and easy manner, including those she met while working at the former Revco Discount Drug Store (Lorain), many of whom still remember her as "the Revco lady," despite her retiring in 2000 after 22 years of faithful service.
Ever devoted to her Catholic faith, Joan's life mission was to offer her friendship, loyalty, love, and service to others she met, and with her smiling eyes, ready conversation, and uncanny ability to remember names, faces, and the relatives of those she met, she effortlessly succeeded in doing so. To Joan, a person who was not her friend was merely a person she had yet to meet.
With a simple passion to help others, Joan was always able to find an extra place at the dinner table for unexpected guests, including the friends of her children whom she welcomed as children of her own. In her mission she fed others as well with her volunteer work at Catholic Charities of Lorain, and increased her friends while in their service.
In 2011 Joan, a resident of Anchor Lodge Nursing Home under her given name Mary, increased her lot of faithful friends with the other residents and those who provided their care. In March 2013, Mrs. Burns was nominated as "Ms. Housekeeping," the "Irish Princess," for the title of "Miss Anchor Lodge," and was awarded "Co-Second Runner-Up" which she shared happily with her good friend of many years, Sandy Clark.
Mrs. Burns' hobbies and interests included homemaking and the care of her family for whom she dearly loved, taking special interest in everything involving her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed being a "night-owl," her Irish heritage, and her friendships with people of all ages that included her many conversations with them. Joan enjoyed the holidays, and baking for her favorite holiday, Christmas. Most of all, Joan loved to laugh, and her infectious laughter often resulted in tears of joy on her face and those around her.
With the memories of Joan's love and laughter to light their days and warm their hearts, she leaves behind many loving friends and family, including her children Ann (Dennis) Tracy, Barboursville, WV, Mary Jo (Richard Barnicle) Burns, Lorain, Matt (Teresa Moyer) Burns, Washington D.C., Patrick (Kathryn) Burns, Oberlin, Tim Burns, Avon Lake, Peggy (Gerard) Formholtz, Lorain, Maureen Burns, Lorain, and Meaghan Burns, Lorain; grandchildren Alexander J. Figueroa, Lakewood, Michael Figueroa, Amherst, Elizabeth Figueroa, Lorain, Samuel and Joseph Formholtz, Lorain; nephews Tom (Michelle) Johnson and children Samantha, and CJ, of Phoenix, AZ, and Dan (Jen) Johnson and their children, Josh and Michael Johnson of Akron; cousin Jim (Joan) Johnson and family, Akron; brothers-in-law John Burns, Amherst, Donald Rumpler, Lorain; sisters-in-law Betty (Kiska) Burns, Lorain, Mary Alice (Burns) Wagner, Amherst, and Joan (Burns) Pienoski, Amherst; and many loving nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews.
Those who went before Joan to welcome her home include her devoted husband of 52 years James L. Burns, parents Thomas Fred and Mary Catherine (Fein) Donahue, and sister Ann D. Johnson and husband Thomas.
Mary Joan's family welcomes her friends and family to reminisce and say their farewells on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 from 4 to 8 P.M. in the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral and Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst. Closing prayers will be said at 10:30A.M. Thursday June 13, 2013 in the funeral center, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11 A.M. at St. Peter's Church, 3655 Oberlin Ave, Lorain, with Fr. James Becherer officiating. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery.
The Family would like to thank Dr. Juan Solis and associates, Dr. David Joyce and staff, and all of Mrs. Burns' countless caregivers on MICU 2 at Mercy Hospital/Regional Medical Center in Lorain, and the staff at Anchor Lodge Nursing Home for all of the kindness and compassion showed to Joan and her family during her time of care.
His family also requests that memorial contributions be made to Mercy New Life Hospice for their kind service and to Catholic Charities Lorain Family Center for their continued dedication to the mission of the Catholic faith.
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