After a very brief illness, Joan Carolyn Burkett, 88, of Cedarburg, died peacefully on Jan. 1, 2020.
Joan was born in Burlington on June 15, 1931 to Edith (Goff) and Clarence Jensen. She attended Burlington schools, graduating from Burlington High School in 1949 as salutatorian of her class. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Psychology and Education from Beloit College in 1953.
On June 20, 1953, Joan married Daniel Burkett. They moved to Cedarburg and raised their family of four daughters before moving to West Bend to retire. After Dan’s passing in 2012, she moved back to Cedarburg and enjoyed renewing old friendships and meeting new friends.
Joan enjoyed lake life growing up on Browns Lake in Burlington, taking her family to Nessling Lake in Waupaca and later Silver Lake in West Bend. She had a deep love of the north woods of Cable, Wisconsin where she spent summers throughout her childhood with her grandparents Art and Susie Goff.
Joan’s love of music guided her through life. She was an accomplished pianist, an accompanist for Cedar Singers for many years, sang in the Advent church choir and was their children’s choir director when her girls were young. She frequently attended concerts and always had classical music playing in the background at home.
Joan had many interests and liked to stay active. She always had beautiful flower gardens, skied, played golf, and loved a good bridge game. She sewed many outfits for her girls (and their dolls), knit sweaters for her grandchildren, and did beautiful counted-cross stitch. She learned to paint and produced many lovely pieces that decorate her children’s homes.
Joan did not hesitate to tackle the greatest challenges including refinishing the family upright grand piano, singlehandedly painting the family cottage, or sharing and coordinating the medical care for Dan for the last decades of his life. Still, if you asked her, she’d say her greatest accomplishment and treasure was her family.
Joan “Joni” is survived by her daughters, Susan Krueger, Lauren (Jim) Schneider, Julie (Tom) Kessler, and Kris (Andy) Sherer; grandchildren Annie (Mike) Grunwald, Charlie Krueger, Andy (Ali) Sipos, Sydney Sipos, Ben (Amberlee) Kessler, Molly (Michael Erving) Kessler, Sam (Nicole) Kessler, Abi Sherer and Keri Sherer; great-grandchildren Ian and Emmie Grunwald; sister-in law Susie DeVinney, brother-in-law Jim Burkett, and her sister-in-law Gloria Jensen. She was preceded in death by her husband Dan and her brother John Jensen.
The family wishes to thank the entire staff at the Highlands of Newcastle Place for their loving care of Joan that brought her such joy in the last chapter of her life, and the devoted hospice nursing staff at Aurora Hospital in Grafton.
An open gathering and celebration of life is scheduled at Mueller Funeral Home W63 N527 Hanover Avenue in Cedarburg, on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020 from 3 to 4 p.m. Donations to Interfaith Caregivers or the charity of your choice in lieu of flowers are appreciated.
For online condolences please visit www.muellerfuneralhome.com.
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