Jacqueline Burgess
Pawcatuck — Jacqueline J. “Jackie” Burgess, 82, of Pawcatuck, passed away peacefully Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at Academy Point assisted living facility in Mystic. Born in Westerly, R.I., she was the eldest daughter of the late Mildred and A. Gordon Jeffrey Jr.
After graduating from Stonington High School in 1958, Jackie chose elementary education as her career. She graduated from Willimantic State Teachers College in 1962. She then taught in Vernon, at the U.S. Army Base Husterhoeh Kaserne in Pirmasens, Germany, and Great Neck School in Waterford. In 1969, after traveling the world, Jackie married Ensign James T. Burgess, a U.S. Naval officer, in Groton, and began their family. When her children were independent, she returned to teaching at the Westerly YMCA Nursery School, and later worked in the Stonington school system as a reading consultant, and then as a classroom teacher. She taught at both West Broad Street School and West Vine Street School in her hometown of Pawcatuck. Her passion was teaching reading and watching non-readers progress to competent readers; she helped hundreds of preschool and early elementary children to become lifelong readers.
Her family business was a Christmas tree farm in Pawcatuck; and for many years, she devoted after school and weekend hours to planting, growing and then selling Christmas trees at Grandview Tree Farm along with her father, her sister and their immediate families.
She is survived by her devoted husband James and will be greatly missed by her children, Jamy O’Rourke and her husband John of Oceanside, N.Y., Jody Burgess of Westport Island, Maine, and Jeffrey Burgess and his wife Rachel of Pawcatuck. She also leaves behind her sister Susan Blaisdell and her husband William of Groton. She was incredibly proud of her eight grandchildren: Brianna O’Rourke, Megan O’Rourke, Kevin O’Rourke, Alexa Peck, Gavin Peck, Madelyn Burgess, Ashley Burgess and John Burgess, who will miss her greatly. In addition, she will be missed by her niece and nephew, Sarah Blaisdell and Adam Blaisdell. She was preceded in death by her beloved son John Burgess.
Visiting hours will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 3, at Gaffney-Dolan Funeral Home, 59 Spruce Street, Westerly. Relatives and friends are also invited to attend a Celebration of Life at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the funeral home. Interment will follow at River Bend Cemetery, Westerly. For online condolences, please visit www.gaffneydolanfuneralhome.com.