Jeanne M. Burley

Waltham – Mrs. Jeanne M. (LeBlanc) Burley, of Waltham, died Sunday, December 29, 2013 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. She was 78.

Jeanne was born in Waltham on January 13, 1935, a daughter of the late Moise and Mary (Murphy) LeBlanc, and had been a lifelong resident. She attended Saint Pierre's School in Waltham and was a graduate of Saint Mary's High School.

On May 21, 1955 Jeanne married John A. Burley of Waltham and the couple were married for close to fifty-four years until John's death on January 30, 2009.

Until her retirement Jeanne worked for many years as a secretary at the MacArthur Elementary School on Lincoln Street where she was also well-known as a poll-worker at election time. She was best known however as a tireless advocate in various ministries at Our Lady's Parish on Trapelo Road where she and John raised their family. At various times she served on the parish pastoral council, as a Eucharistic minister, lector, member of the altar guild and as a sponsor with the adult faith formation program.

After retirement Jeanne continued her volunteer work at Our Lady's and also participated in the senior adult reading program at the MacArthur and Fitzgerald Elementary Schools in Waltham.

She leaves her children, John S. 'Jay' Burley and his wife, Debbie, of Waltham, David M. Burley and his wife, Dee, of Milford, Dianne M. Fitzmaurice and her husband, George, of Brookline, New Hampshire and Matthew J. Burley and his wife, Wendy, of Marlborough; her grandchildren, Michael, Amanda, David, Kevin, Bryan and Jillian Burley and Jack and Rachel Fitzmaurice; her siblings, Rita Guzzi of West Newton, Robert LeBlanc of Townsend, Kenneth LeBlanc of Allston, James LeBlanc of Plymouth and Karen LeBlanc of Yarmouth and many nieces and nephews.

She was also a sister of the late Esther Krinsky.

Family and friends will honor and remember Jeanne's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Friday, January 3rd from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady's Parish, 920R Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02452; The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777 or to Make-A-Wish Foundation, One Bulfinch Place, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02114.