April 9, 1926 — February 11, 2022
Emogene (Jean) Burns passed away peacefully at Northcrest Living Center on Feb. 11, 2022.
Emogene Anna Mertz Burns was born on April 9, 1926, in Ottosen, to John and Margaret Mertz.
She graduated from Lu Verne High School in 1944 and later joined the Cadet Nurse Corps Program at Mercy School of Nursing in Des Moines in 1944, graduating in 1947.
Jean met her husband, Willard Burns, in Council Bluffs in 1946 and they were married on Oct. 7, 1947, in St. Joe.
Jean spent many years at home raising her seven children. Once her children were grown, she put her RN to use and worked at Council Bluffs Care Center, Bethany Lutheran Nursing Home and over the years volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, Interfaith Response, Jennie Edmundson Hospital, in addition to being a tour guide at the Rock Island Depot. She was a long-time member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the VFW Auxiliary and the Federated Women’s Club, along with the National Association of Retired Veteran Railway Employees.
In addition to her parents, Emogene was preceded in death by her husband, Willard, her son David and her brother Irvin Mertz. Jean is survived by her brother Eugene Mertz, children Barbara (Charles) Bruckner, Anne (Dennis) Hayden, Robert (Sandra) Burns, Mary Jeanne (Brad) Hoogner, Howard (Delores) Burns, Janet Earls, multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
There will be a recitation of the rosary on Tuesday at 6 p.m. followed by visitation with the family until 8 p.m. at Cutler-O’Neill-Meyer-Woodring Bayliss Park Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Nursing honors will be tendered by the CHI Mercy Hospital Nurse Honor Guard. Interment is at St. Joseph Cemetery with a lunch following at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall.
Memorials can be made to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church or St. Albert High School.