Julia Burdian

Julie Burdian, daughter of Vincent & Matilda (Suarez) Pannozzo passed from this life to one of greater reward in Heaven on Tuesday, February 1 after an 8-year courageous battle with Multiple Myeloma. She was born on Staten Island, NY, January 21, 1941, and named after her grandmother Giulia in Fondi, Italy. Julie was the first in her family to go to college, graduating from Oswego State University in New York in 1962, and began her teaching career in the Orange New Jersey school system.  She married Mike Burdian of Centereach, NY in September 1965 and started a family, 7 children including 2 through foster care. They moved often up & down the east coast with IBM and the U.S. Coast Guard, then to England in 1999 and traveled Europe extensively.  They settled in Jacksonville in 2005 and have been active parishioners of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville Beach.

Julie never met a stranger and was a mother to more than her own children.   Julie spent many an hour in the stands rooting for any and all of her 7 children and ferrying them to their many activities – unselfish with her time and love.  If you needed her to be somewhere for you, she would find a way to be there while always making sure she spent quality time with you.  An athlete herself, Julie was an excellent tennis player.  She was a life-long lover of books, chugalug champion of her Alpha Delta chapter, an outstanding cook, and world-traveler. Julie offered her help and her home to “Fresh Air” children, friends of her children, foreign students, relatives, etc.  But her passion was as a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. So many wonderful stories of her motherly instinct and courage, making sure everyone was safe and treated fairly with love and respect.  Her superpower was her ability to ensure everyone was included and felt important. All who knew her will miss Julie’s joyous outlook on life, her laughter and her lively, enthusiastic, loving & joyous presence.

Julie is survived by her loving husband Mike, her 99-year-old mother Matilda, sister Lyn, children, Debbie Espinosa & husband Hector, Judi, Melagrano and husband Artie, Susan Burdian, Mike Burdian and wife Reggee, Liz McCabe and husband Steve, Steve Burdian & wife Jo-Ann, Jeffrey Burdian., grandchildren Johnathan Crossland & wife Shelise; Vickie Howard & husband Brandon; Griffin, Lucas & Bailey McCabe; Conor, Maeve & Owen Burdian, Matthew & Thomas Melagrano. Jack, Sean & James Burdian and great grandchildren Adalyn & Hannah Howard plus many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be a viewing from 6 to 8 PM, Tuesday, February 8 at Quinn-Shalz Funeral home at 3600 Third St in Jacksonville Beach and a Funeral Mass at St. Paul’s Catholic Church 523 Pablo Ave, Jacksonville Beach on Wednesday, Feb 9 at 1200 PM Noon.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to The St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville Beach or to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.