Mary Kay Burgin

Mary Kay Burgin was born May 18th, 1943, in Mendota, Illinois. She was the only child of George and Aldene (Scott) Hamel of Earlville, Illinois.

Mary grew up in Earlville, attended Earlville public schools, and graduated with the Earlville High School Class of 1961. Following graduation, she worked at Western Electric in Montgomery, Illinois, and later at James Knights Company in Sandwich.

On March 9, 1963, Mary married John Burgin at the United Presbyterian Church in Earlville. Together, they made their home on the Burgin Sesquicentennial Farm on Chicago Road in Somonauk, where they spent their married life. It was there that they raised their son, Michael, and daughter, Ellen, creating a home filled with family, memories, and a strong connection to the land.

Mary dearly loved country living and all that came with life on the family farm. She found great pleasure in gardening, tending her flowers, and creating a comfortable, loving home for her family. She was a woman of many talents and was equally at home behind the wheel of a tractor as she was in the kitchen baking a cake. She embraced the simple joys of country life and took great pride in caring for her family and her home.

In 1972, Mary began a 30-year career with the Somonauk Post Office. She especially enjoyed interacting with the public and valued the friendships she developed with her coworkers. Those relationships extended well beyond her retirement, as she maintained many lasting friendships with her former work family.

John and Mary shared a love of traveling and adventure. During their children's younger years, they spent many summers traveling throughout the country, visiting national parks and creating treasured family memories. Once the children were grown, their travels continued, including multiple trips to Alaska, several cruises, and many other adventures. Their travels filled countless photo albums and provided a lifetime of wonderful memories.

Mary's greatest joy, by far, was her four grandchildren, Ian, Alex, Alecia, and Emme. John and Mary loved having the boys on the farm and enjoyed watching them participate in their many sporting events as they grew up. They also made countless trips to South Carolina to visit the girls, often including outings to Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia and stops at their favorite restaurant, The Waffle House. No visit to Grandma's house was complete without her delicious, freshly baked treats. Mary treasured every moment with her grandchildren and took great joy in making memories and traditions that they will carry with them for a lifetime.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the kind and compassionate staff at Cedarhurst, who provided Mary with loving care, comfort, and kindness during her final years. Their dedication and friendship will always be appreciated.

Mary is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, John; her son, Mike, and his wife, Christine; her daughter, Ellen; and her four beloved grandchildren, Ian, Alex and his wife, Courtney, Alecia and her fiancé, Parker, and Emme. Her family was the center of her world, and the love she shared with them will remain a lasting part of their lives.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2026 at Turner-Eighner Funeral Home in Somonauk, IL from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with a funeral service to follow at 12:00 p.m. with Pastor Tom Bourke officiating. Memorials may be directed to the YMCA: Sandwich, Meals on Wheels and Our Sharing Pantry Somonauk. For more information or to sign the online guestbook go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com

Turner-Eighner Funeral Home

13160 W. Rt 34 ~ P.O. Box 404

Somonauk, IL 60552

815-498-2363