Burgess, Janice Joy

Janice Joy Burgess, 79, of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital, from complication of a heart illness. Funeral Services: noon Saturday, Dec. 17, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Marion by Lt. Kristina Sjogren. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial: Oak Shade Cemetery in Marion.

Survivors include her husband, Harold “Snooks” Burgess of Cedar Rapids; her children, Kas Shaw of Alexandria, Va., Peggy (Greg) Herdlicka of Cedar Rapids, Jada (Randy) Fry of Arlington, Texas, and Jim (Chris) Ruger of Sheffield; 15 grandchildren, Jason, Cortnee and wife Danielle, Andrea and husband Adam, Alyssa, Kelsey, Zane, Brooke, Jillian, CJ, Haley, Lauren, Jordan, Randi, Ramona and Carol; 12 great-grandchildren; a sister, Mileen Sinclair of Lewisville, Texas; and many loving family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Bill Shaw and Wally Ruger; a stepson, Tom Ruger; two brothers, Howard and Edward Gorman; and three sisters, Frances Jimenez, Dorothy Lindquist and Vivian Bennett.

Janice was born March 29, 1932, the daughter of Edward and Martha (Haase) Gorman in Algona. On June 13, 1969, she married Harold M. Burgess. Jan was a sales clerk and model for Lundberg's in Mason City. She also worked for Wilson's in Cedar Rapids, 20 years for the City of Cedar Rapids Print Shop, retiring in 1989. Jan was also an Avon Sales Representative for 20 years.

Jan was an avid tie knot blanket maker, she enjoyed giving them to family and friends. She also enjoyed latch hook, playing cards, making family tree address books and visiting casinos. Jan loved to collect dolls and figurines, travel and fish. She enjoyed spending time with her Salvation Army ladies.

Memorials may be directed to St. Luke's Hospice in memory of Jan.

Please sign the online guest book for Jan at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Dec. 15, 2011.