Shirley A. Burkus

Loving mother and grandmother, Shirley Burkus, passed away on January 7, 2022. Shirley was 92 and left us to meet her Lord and Savior after living a long and full life.

She was born to Henry and Louise (Hecklinski) Witkowski on April 3, 1929 in South Bend, IN. She graduated from St. Joseph's Academy in 1946 and went on to attend the Michiana College of Commerce. She married the love of her life, John Louis Burkus, on July 9, 1949 and together they raised three daughters in the South Bend community. She was an active member of St. Casimir's Parish and worked as an Administrative Assistant to the General Counsel at the University of Notre Dame, retiring in 1995. Her love of Notre Dame football was eclipsed only by her devotion to God and her family. In 1997, she moved to Overland Park, KS to be closer to family and became a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. She filled her time with family gatherings, travel, and correspondence with friends by letter with her impeccably good handwriting.

Now that she has passed into the arms of our Lord, we should remind ourselves that while this is the end of Shirley's physical life on Earth, it's the beginning of an eternal and beautiful journey for her. She has been reunited with her beloved husband John, who passed in 2001 and other family members who have gone before her.

She is survived by many loving family members, including her daughters - Charmaine Gilpatrick (Kenny) of Paoli, KS, Celeste Peteritas (Gary) of Pottstown, PA, and Denise Harris (Dave) of Marriottsville, MD. Also, her grandchildren - Jason Kieffaber, Amy Hawkins (Thomas), Derek Kieffaber, Elisa Stiles, Brian Peteritas, Stephen Peteritas (Caroline), and her great-grandchildren - Zoey and Charles Hawkins.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 14th, 2022, at 11:00am at St. Joseph Funeral Home, 824 South Mayflower Road, South Bend, Indiana. Friends will be received at the funeral home, one hour prior to the services on Friday. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to St. Jude's Children's Hospital or Catholic Charities USA be made in her name.

Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus