Eunice K. Burstein

Waltham – Mrs. Eunice K. 'Kit' (Katz) Burstein, of Waltham, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at Newton-Wellesley Hospital after an extended illness. She was 80. Eunice Katz was born and raised in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, a daughter of the late Sydney and Wilma (Winters) Katz. She graduated as valedictorian of her high school class at the age of 16. She graduated from New York University and while still in her twenties ran an occupational therapy clinic in Hartford, Connecticut before moving to Boston to work at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1950. She married Harold Burstein and moved to Waltham in 1953. Together they operated Harold M. Burstein and Company, Antiquarian Bookdealers, in the center of Waltham for the next thirty years. Kit was always involved in civic activities in Waltham. She served as president of the Waltham chapter of the League of Women Voters in the early sixties, and was most active in working to alleviate the effects of water pollution throughout the town. She recently received a lifetime service achievement award from the League after 50 years of membership in that organization. She also fought for the establishment of the Waltham Conservation Commission, and became its first chairman. She was a member of the board of directors of the Charles River Watershed Association. Kit was active in local politics, running for an at-large position on the Waltham City Council. She and Harold actively supported many local and congressional candidates. She received the 2007 Hero's Award from the Waltham Democratic City Committee. For the past twenty years, Kit had been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Waltham Public Library. She inspired her daughter, Susan, to successfully run for the Waltham City Council and later to serve three terms on the Waltham School Committee. Her daughter-in-law, Annie Lacourt, is currently an elected member of the Arlington Board of Selectmen and its most recent chairperson. The wife of the late Harold M. Burstein, she is survived by her beloved children and their spouses, Mark Burstein and Annie Lacourt, of Arlington, Susan Burstein and Richard Scales of Waltham, Michael Burstein and Cathryn Thomas of Bernardston, and Matthew and Diane Burstein of New York City. She also leaves four loving grand-daughters, Jennie and Elena, Jessica and Abigail; her brother, Walter Katz of Sparta, New Jersey and many nieces and nephews. She was also a sister of the late Robert Katz. Memorial observance will be held at her late residence, 36 Riverside Drive in Waltham, on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday, from 3 to 8 p.m. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Well-wishers may make a donation to the Eunice K. Burstein Memorial Book Fund, c/o Friends of the Waltham Public Library, 735 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451.