MILLINOCKET – Joanne M. Burleigh, 76, passed on to be with the Lord Oct. 16, 2011. She was born Dec. 31, 1934, in Millinocket, daughter of Ernest and Alvina Mayo.
Joanne was in the first graduating class of St. Martin of Tours Catholic School, Millinocket, graduating as class valedictorian. She then married and was too soon predeceased by the love of her life, Leland W. Burleigh. She raised three teenage children on her own, working many years for Federico Bros., Ames department stores and finally as a certified nurse’s aide at Katahdin Nursing Home, Millinocket. Joanne passed on her love of reading and nature to her children. She loved to sit on the picnic table at camp on Cedar Lake and watch the water and listen to the loons.
In addition to her parents and husband, Joanne was predeceased by three brothers, Robert, Pete and Roy Mayo; and a sister, Helen Tapley. She is survived by her three children, Stephen Burleigh and wife, Deb, Kathy Stanley and husband, Jim, and Helen Allen and husband, Ted; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, Kristen Allen and son, Landon, Lisa and Ed West and daughter, Joslyn, Pete Myers, Ruth and Jeremy Mann and sons, Isaac and Gideon, Jenn and Josh Delano and daughter, Ava, and son, Levi; a sister, Camille Rusnak; a sister-in-law, Dottie Day, who kept in touch all these years; several nieces and nephews; and close friends, Delia Cummings and Louise Rush, who were there for always.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at Lamson Funeral Home, 11 Tamarack St., Millinocket, with Deacon Danny Watson officiating. Gifts in Joanne’s memory may be made to Katahdin Area Support Group, 10 Field St., Millinocket, ME 04462 or Lincoln Area Hospice, P.O. Box 208, Lincoln, ME 04457. Messages of condolence may be expressed at
www.lamsonfh.com.