Petersburgh – Martha C. Burgun, 84, of Lewis Hollow Road, Petersburgh, NY, died on Monday evening, November 17, 2008, at her home under the care of Community Hospice of Rensselaer County.
Born November 1, 1924, in Manhattan, NY, she was the daughter of the late Augustav and Emilia (Eidinger) Kuschnereit. She was the loving wife of the late Michael J. Burgun, who died on June 16, 1997. They were married in Manhattan on June 12, 1941.
Martha attended school in Central Islip on Long Island. Caring for others began in her teenage years as a nanny for two small children. She lost her mom at the age of 12 and left school to take care of the family siblings. She worked as an assistant at the Jack & Jill Nursery in Hicksville, NY. Martha and her late husband moved to the Petersburgh area in 1971, and in 1973 they opened the Burgun Adult Home on Varville Road. They moved to her current residence in 1996, still caring for many people in the community. Martha and her husband were also foster parents for many years and loved to have pig roasts. She was of the Lutheran faith and a member of the Ladies Oriental Shrine of North America AIROC Court #42 located in Rutland, VT, and The Loyal Order of the Moose in Lindenhurst, Long Island. Martha enjoyed sewing, knitting, crafts and baking. She would sew and make clothing for family members along with knitting mittens for her grandchildren.
Survivors include her children and their spouses Michael J., Jr., and Diane Burgun, of Angier, NC, Albert H. and Sue Burgun of Meredith, NH, and Hernando, FL, and Carol F. and Kurt Yerg of Petersburgh, a sister, Margaret Swaine of Bayshore, NY, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by five brothers and three sisters.
Funeral services will be on Friday evening, November 21, at 7 pm in the Thomas M. Barber Funeral Home, 66 Armsby Road, Petersburgh, with Rev. James A. Hulihan, pastor of the Gilead Lutheran Church of Brunswick, NY, officiating. Cremation will follow in the Albany Rural Crematorium.
Relatives and friends are invited to the funeral home for visitation on Friday from 4 to 6:45 pm. Members of the Ladies Oriental Shrine will also be conducting a memorial service.
Memorial contributions in memory of Martha may be given to the Community Hospice of Rensselaer County, 295 Valley View Blvd., Rensselaer, NY, 12144.