Judith "Judy" Burda

Judith Ann (Fischer) Burda, life-long resident of River Grove, died peacefully at home on March 30, 2025. She was 86.

After experiencing her first symptom on Feb. 10 and then being diagnosed with cancer a week later, Judy made the gutsy call to forgo aggressive treatment for her illness. Her exact words to her oncologist were, “I’ve lived a great life. Why do I want to feel crappy just to live until 87?”

Judy was preceded in death by Bernard “Ben” Burda, her husband of 31 years; her parents, Oland and Lorainne Fischer; and her sister, Bonnie Leonard. Extended prayers to the recent passings of her niece Kathy (Dale) Neinas and nephew Bob (Angie) Burda. Extended prayers also to Patricia Powderly, Judy’s cousin, who passed in 2009.

Judy is survived by her two children, David (Jeanne) Burda and Deborah Burda; three grandchildren, Alexandra (Matthew Dudak) Burda, Benjamin Burda and Jefferson Burda; and her youngest sister, Linda (John) DeMayo Bechtold.

Judy also is survived by many nieces and nephews, including: Vicky (Mike) Ridenour; Ron (Mary) Leonard; Mike DeMayo; Joe (Kristie) DeMayo; Mike Burda; Diana Burda; Joe (Jan) Burda; Patty (Steve) Quinn; Jeff (Lory) Burda; Judy Skolozynski; Ed (Barbara) Burda; Marian Alexander; and Jane Burda; and cousins Cathy (Bob) Leduc; Jayne (John) Anderson; Russ (Laurie) Biesterfeld; and Gary Biesterfeld.

Judy lived almost her entire life in one of three houses near the intersection of Struckman Avenue and Center Street in River Grove. She lived and died in her current house on Struckman since 1966 when her and Ben purchased a vacant lot and built their dream home. Judy was proud of living in and maintaining her own home by herself for the past 36 years since Ben’s passing in 1989. She meticulously planted her annual pink flowers everywhere, mowed her own lawn and hung holiday decorations inside and out.

Asked if she would ever move and if so where, Judy said yes. Then she pointed to the far north end of Struckman across the tracks to St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Judy was right. That is her final resting place.

What fueled Judy all these years? Some might say it was a daily mix of sweet baked goods, pain meds for her back and post-polio syndrome, and Andres Extra Dry champagne (not that bitter Brut!). It was Judy’s version of coffee, a cigarette and a donut in the morning preferred by her beloved Uncle Russ and Aunt Peg. She and Ben loved both of them so much. Others would say it was Judy’s love of life, books, family (especially her grandchildren) and River Grove that kept her strong for nearly four decades without Ben.

Examples of Judy’s love of life included: traveling the world (and Michigan wine country) with her best friend Joyce; enjoying seven “snowbird” seasons in Tarpon Springs, Fla., where she could be found in the pool enjoying water aerobics with Charlotte and the rest of her lady friends and where she could visit her Fischer relatives; visiting Graceland twice (Elvis was and will always be her favorite entertainer); going to Arlington to bet on the ponies every year on her birthday; and checking out craft show after craft show with Deb.

Her love of life was only exceeded by her love of family. Judy never missed a birthday party for her kids or grandchildren. She hosted annual board game days with her three grandchildren. She never missed a Christmas Eve celebration as long as there was Hong Sue Chicken and Crab Rangoon. On Easter, she put on bunny ears and hid eggs in her basement for kids and adults to find and turn in for a present. Judy traveled to Door County to spend fun Thanksgivings with her Burda relatives. She may have missed only one or two Biesterfeld-Fischer family picnics in the past 60 years. She was convinced that no one could live without her mini cheesecakes. Judy did not like chocolate with one exception: Jayne’s brownies, which were the first things she grabbed every year at the picnic.

Judy hosted annual hotdogs-on-the-fire events during the winter and rib barbeques during the summer. These wholesome get-togethers replaced the debauchery that was her and Ben’s annual New Year’s Eve party. Never mix homemade stilts, pickled herring and 7 and 7s.

Like Ben, Judy always welcomed the friends of her children and relatives into her home as if they were her own. She would chat them up and offer them food and drinks to the point no one remembered why they were there in the first place.

Let’s not forget the Green Bay Packers. Judy loved the Packers. She hated the Bears. She attended or watched hundreds of Packer games with Dave, Deb and Ben with Jeanne, Lex and Jeff often as regular tailgaters before the games. Shout out to her fellow Packer fan Kevin Anderko, Diana’s son, who texted with Judy during the games outside the Packer family group chat. Judy watched the 1996 and 2010 Packer teams bring home the Lombardi Trophy where it belongs.

To say Judy was an avid reader would be an understatement. She literally read hundreds if not thousands of books in her life. Judy probably averaged three books a week either in hard cover, paperback or on her Kindle. She passed her love of reading to her grandchildren. She did not pass along her love of books to her son Dave. To compensate, Judy on every long car ride with Dave would tell him about the new book she was reading in excruciating detail. On Deb’s daily phone call, Judy recapped (in excruciating detail) episodes of General Hospital, Outlander or Yellowstone.

As for her hometown, Judy graduated from River Grove Public Grade School, District 85.5, where she was room mother and band booster for her two kids who also were River Grove Royals. Ben was also an elected member of the school board. Judy was a librarian at the River Grove Public Library before becoming a librarian at Rhodes Elementary School, District 84.5 for more than 20 years.

Judy served as an election judge for many years. She treated every voter with respect regardless of political affiliation. Following in the footsteps of Oland and Lorainne, Judy was a life-long Democrat. As an election judge, she looked for every possible reason to allow someone to vote rather than for every possible reason to prevent someone from voting.

Judy was a regular at Mayor’s Night, where she enjoyed corned beef and cabbage, and Riverfront Fest, where she sold tickets, gossiped with the locals and drank wine if champagne wasn’t available. She gave up Gene and Jude’s a few years ago because she said the hot dogs got too rubbery. Judy would borrow some of your fries, though, as long as they hadn’t touched the sport peppers.

Let’s send her off with books, bubbly, and Elvis.