Theresa C. Burgard

Theresa Claire Burgard May 27, 1957 - July 8, 2011 Theresa Claire Burgard, age 54, died Friday, July 8, 2011 at her home in Kankakee, Illinois. The cause of death was small cell lung cancer. She was born May 27, 1957 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the daughter of Roselyn Bertha Becker and William Charles Burgard. Theresa graduated from Ypsilanti High School, where she was an outstanding student and athlete. She received her BS from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and an MS in Communication Disorders from University of Illinois, Champaign. She worked as a speech language pathologist and coached high school track in Kankakee District 111. In 2010, she was inducted into the High School Hall of Fame in honor of her 28 years of coaching. She actively supported her track girls in pursuing scholarships to college. She volunteered with the Special Olympics for a number of years. Theresa was an avid golfer and runner, finishing more than 26 marathons. Throughout her life Theresa had a deep connection with God, and this enriched her relationships with her family and friends and her partner Jean. She had an extraordinary gift for friendship. She took on challenges and strived for excellence, living everyday with a positive attitude. She served many and valued inclusion of all people in her work, community, and church. Surviving are her partner of 15 years, Jean Lowery of Kankakee; her mother, Roselyn Burgard of Ypsilanti, MI; her father and his wife, William & Carole Burgard of Greenwood, SC; sister Nan Godwin and husband Christopher; brother William Burgard, wife Tracey and son Ethan; sister Lilly Crowheart, husband Kirk Houser, and son Aurelio Crowheart; brother Peter Burgard, wife Tzipora Eden, and daughters Morgan, Maya, and Corine; brother Phillip Burgard, wife Judy and daughter Bridget who is also Theresa’s godchild. Theresa wishes to thank for their kind and loving care her Riverside Medical Center physicians, nurses and staff, and the staff of the Hospice of Kankakee Valley. Her body has been cremated. In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Theresa by contributing to one of her many causes. The memorial visitation will be held 2:00 – 5:00 PM, Saturday, July 23, 2011, followed by a memorial service from 5:00 – 6:00 PM. The visitation and memorial service will take place at the Clancy-Gernon-Hertz Funeral Home in Kankakee. Please visit the Clancy-Gernon-Hertz Funeral Home web page, www.clancygernon.com, or visit Theresa’s CarePage, www.carepages.com/carepages/TheresaBurgard, for more information. Theresa supported these organizations regularly. If you would like to honor her with a contribution here is a list of contact information. Casas por Cristo Casas por Cristo (Homes because of Christ) creates important partnerships among various groups across international borders. To date, they have provided nearly 4,000 families with homes. Dedicated to growing Christ's church one home at a time by helping meet the physical and spiritual needs of our neighbors. www.casasporcristo.org PO Box 971070, El Paso, TX 79997 Habitat for Humanity 270 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 1300, Atlanta, GA 30303 www.habitat.org Salvation Army www.salvationarmyusa.org World Vision World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. www.worldvision.org PO Box 70399, Tacoma, WA 98481 College Church of the Nazarene 200 University Ave., Bourbonnais, IL 60914 www.collegechurch.org Shine FM WONU 89.7 FM Shine.fm is a nonprofit radio station. www.shine.fm One University Avenue, Bourbonnais, IL 60914 WBGL The mission statement of WBGL and the Illinois Bible Institute is: "Reaching people for Christ through media." www.wbgl.org 4101 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign, IL 61822 Southern Illinois University Foundation www.siuf.org 1235 Douglas Drive, Colyer Hall, Mailcode 6805, Carbondale, IL 62901