"Mom, we had a wonderful reunion in Norman where we celebrated your life during at your wake, Mass and funeral with your loving friends and family. You would have enjoyed all the stories and laughter, and sense of loss we shared in missing you."
In loving memory of
Irma Garrigan Burr
May 25, 1917 - August 21, 2011
Irma Garrigan Burr died peacefully in Middleton, Wisconsin on August 21, 2011 at the age of 94. She was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 25, 1917, the daughter of Matthew Patrick and Ada Frances (Gunn) Garrigan. Irma attended Michigan State University and St. Mary's College, Indiana, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1941. She took her Masters of Library Science in 1971 from the University of Oklahoma. Irma married John Green Burr, Jr. on June 12, 1943. They raised seven children, living in Evanston, Illinois; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Tarzana, California; London and Cambridge, England; and Norman, Oklahoma, and celebrated 58 amazing years of marriage. Irma relocated from Norman to Madison in 2008 to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Sara Burr and Joe Renville.
Irma contributed to her field as a librarian during her 15-year career at the National Library for the Blind and Handicapped in Oklahoma City, where she developed materials supporting the education of blind and physically disabled college students. She traveled throughout Europe with her family, and instilled a love of reading, history, investigation and imagination in her children. Full of laughter about life's mishaps, Irma was a wonderful homemaker, devout Catholic and parishioner of St. Thomas More University parish for 40 years, a lifelong Democrat, and a great believer in the value of higher education. Devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, colleague and friend, Irma's childhood nickname, Lovie, said it all, as she was beloved by everyone who knew her.
She is survived by her children: John G. (Sharon) Burr III, Richardson, Texas; Sara Burr (Joseph) Renville, Middleton, Wisconsin; Kathleen Burr Oliver, New York City; Maryellen Burr, Los Gatos, California; Elizabeth Burr, Norman, Oklahoma; Mark Christopher (Lisa) Burr, Austin, Texas; and Matthew Edward Burr, Austin, Texas; her grandchildren John G. Burr IV, Jessie Burr, Julia Oliver, Andrew (Jennie) Oliver, Timothy Oliver, Rachel Sax (Jamie) Hall, Sam Burr, Grace Burr, and Matthew Burr, and her great grandson, Liam Henry Oliver. She is further survived by her brother-in-law, Edward (Patricia) Burr, her sister-in-law, Eileen Bloom, 4 nieces, 3 nephews, and cherished friends. Irma was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her siblings, Matthew, Ada Frances, James and Thomas Garrigan, and her daughter-in-law, Mary Ann (Matt) Burr.
The family wishes to thank the kind caregivers at Brightstar, Oak Park Place and HospiceCare, and the pastors and parishioners at St. Thomas More who nourished her faith. There will be a Celebration of Irma's Life on Friday evening, September 23, 2011 from 7:30 until 9:00 p. m. at St. Thomas More University Parish Church, 100 E. Stinson, Norman, Oklahoma and a Memorial Mass on September 24, 2011, at 11:00 a. m. also at St. Thomas More's. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to HospiceCare Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin; St. Mary's College, South Bend, Indiana; or St. Thomas More University Parish and Student Center, Norman, Oklahoma. Cress Funeral Services in Madison is assisting the family.
"Now take back the soul of Irma Garrigan Burr, whom you have shared with us. She brought us joy...we loved her well."
Tributes
""Joy she gave, Joy she has found""
" Dear Burr Family, Your dear mother and I put together the first library for the blind radio services in Norman in the early 1970ies. We recorded at Memorial Presbyterian Church on 24th Street every Thursday and each Friday morning she would come to my house on Trenton Rd. and pick up the reel to reel tapes and/or tape recorders that needed fixing and we would visit before she headed to Oklahoma City...my son and daughter, particularly my daugher, thought your mom was the greatest thing since sliced bread, so they came to the front door exchange to be part of the Friday morning "party" wherein the tapes and recorders were exchanged and your mother told funny stories about her children and the wild and crazy things they were up to. I'm sure you remember at least some of the things you got into during those days...she delighted in your escipades and cried when you needed tears and I laughed and cried with her. We discussed your folks many trips to England as well as your visits to Norman...such fun memories... I was sad to read of her passing but am sure beyond the shadow of a doubt that she is now telling great stories while sitting on a cloud and observing your "doings" from above, so you better behave! Warmest wishes from hot Oklahoma! Molly Levite Griffis (check my web...www.mollygriffis.com...Erma cheered me on just as she cheered you all.)"
"I didn't know Irma very well but I was a Braille student at the Library on Kelly Ave back in the early 80's. She was always so cheerful and always inspired the few of us who stuck it out to keep going for our Braille certification - a very lovely lady. - Lynn Prevatt, MWC"