Janis Pauline Burke
Janis Pauline Burke (nee Diggs), 72, of Pulaski, VA passed away on September 21, 2023.
Janis was born on January 23, 1951 to Marion and Helen Diggs in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Western High School, graduating in 1969. She spent many of her younger years raising a family, working as a nurse, a social worker, and at age 45 went back to fulfill a life-long dream of graduating Summa Cum Laude from Radford University with her Bachelor’s Degree. When she graduated, her daughters decorated her mortar board to say “OUR MOM ROCKS!”. And our mom did ROCK.
In 1969, Janis married Larry Burke and they recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary in July of 2023. They lived in the same neighborhood in Baltimore, went to the same church, and grew up together. Their love story was one for the ages and an amazing example to everyone who knew them. Janis loved her husband, her children, her church, and her Heavenly Father.
Janis was predeceased by her mother Helen, her father Marion, brother Danny, and her granddaughter Alexis Palmer. She is survived by her husband Larry, daughters Kelly Burke Howard, Amanda Burke Donnelly, Elizabeth Cox Leonard, sister Carol Diggs, sons-in-law, Jay Howard and Matt Donnelly, granddaughters Kaitlin Cifka, Kasey Hormes, Abbey Painter, and Julie Rush, grandsons Cole Palmer, Jake and Justen Ausmann, and great-grandchildren Wyatt and Henley Cifka.
Services will be held privately. The family will receive anyone who would like to pay their respects at an open house on Monday, September 25, 2023 from 4-6 pm at 4497 Waterfront Farms Road, Draper VA. The family has set up a Go Fund Me for those so inclined.
To sign her online guestbook, visit www.bowerfuneralhome.com
Bower Funeral Home, Pulaski is handling the arrangements for the family.