Jean Burns

Jean Katherine Marie (Esala) Burns, age 89, of Lebanon, passed away peacefully on Thursday (July 14th 2011) at St Joseph's Living Center surrounded by her family. She was the loving wife of the late Normand M. Burns. Jean was born in Palo MN on January 15, 1922 to Nicholai and Anna (Holmes) Esala. She graduated valedictorian from Aurora High School. She accompanied her husband throughout his 21 year service with the US Navy living in places such as California, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Oahu, Hawaii. She always sang in the church choirs wherever she lived. After Navy retirement, she lived in Lebanon, CT. for 42 years. Jean was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lebanon and an avid singer in their choir. She enjoyed music all of her life and loved to play the piano and organ. Besides raising her family, she worked and retired from Stop and Shop. She leaves behind her loving children: Thomas Burns and his wife, Linda, of St Johns, Florida; William Burns and his wife Margaret, of Rutherfordton, North Carolina; Jean Gudlewski and her husband, Joseph, of Manchester, CT; Katherine Weissenborn and her husband, Hans, of Willimantic, CT. and Normand N. Burns of Willimantic, CT. She had 10 grandchildren; Chris, Leslie, Robin, Billy, Andrew, Annie, Kristen, Kerry, Eric and Paul and 11 great grandchildren. She also leaves behind two sisters; Dorothy Verinsky of California and Audrey Anderson of MN and many neices and nephews. She was predeceased by her daughter, Susan Sullivan Burns; a sister Elaine Olson, and a brother, Donald Esala. The family wishes to give a very special thank you to the staff of St Joseph's Living Center and to Dr Charles Shooks for their love, commitment, comfort and care of our mother. Her family will receive friends at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St.(Rt 195) Willimantic, Ct. on Tuesday July 19th from 6 to 8pm. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday July 20th 10am at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Village Hill Rd. Lebanon CT. Burial will follow at the New Lebanon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Redeemer Lutheran Church Building Fund (Handicap Access), 361 Beaumont Highway, Lebanon, CT. 06249 or to St Joseph's Living Center, 14 Club Road, Windham, CT. 06280. Please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com for online memorial guest book.