| Date of Birth | July 19, 1938 |
| Date Deceased | October 11, 2023 |
| Hometown | Clifton Park/Alfred Station |
| Home State | N.Y. |
| Service Date | October 17, 2023 |
| Service Time | 11 a.m. |
| Service Location | St. Brendan's Church, Almond |
| Interment Location | Alfred Rural Cemetery, Alfred Station |
Mary Jane Burdick
CLIFTON PARK/ALFRED STATION – Mary Jane Burdick, 85, of Clifton Park, NY, formerly of Pleasant Valley Road, Alfred Station, NY, passed away early Wednesday morning (Oct. 11, 2023) at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, NY.
Born in Hornell on July 19, 1938, she was a daughter of the late Emery and Rose (Cappell) Silsby. On June 2, 1970, she was married at St. Brendan’s Church in Almond, NY, to Douglas D. Burdick, who predeceased her on Sept. 15, 2013, after 43 years of marriage. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her first husband, Herman “Dutch” Faughnan; three children, John Faughnan, Lydia Puleo and Margery Day; and six siblings, Rose “Fritz” Casterline, Evelyn Coddington, John Silsby, James Silsby, Paul Silsby and Carol Campbell.
Her most important job was being the wife of Doug and mother of her eight children, as well as many others she unofficially adopted along the way.
Mary Jane was very proud of her sewing skills and made most of her children’s clothes. After her children were grown, she became proud of the banners she helped make for many colleges and organizations through the Kampus Kave in Alfred, NY. Throughout the years, she also enjoyed reading and crocheting.
A devout Catholic, she was a communicant of St. Brendan’s Church in Almond and St. Jude’s Chapel in Alfred and loved to collect different types of rosary beads.
After the death of her husband Doug, she moved to Clifton Park to start a new chapter in her life with new friends, activities and hobbies.
She is lovingly survived by five children, Beth (Mark) Lay of Springville, NY, Dawn (Jessa Miller) Burdick of Alfred Station, Alan (Therese) Burdick of Lake Grove, NY, William Burdick of Liege, Belgium, and Gretchen Burdick of Clifton Park; a daughter-in-law, Yvonne Faughnan of Andover, NY; a son-in-law, Andrew Puleo of Wayland, NY; 18 grandchildren; five great grandchildren; one sister Dolores “Dee” Cook of Pennsylvania; as well as many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours are from 3 to 6 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 16, 2023) at the Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home, 285 Main St., Hornell. Relatives and friends are invited to meet her family at St. Brendan’s Church, Almond, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Tuesday (Oct. 17, 2023). Committal prayers and interment will follow at Alfred Rural Cemetery, Alfred Station.
An additional service will be held in Clifton Park at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute in her memory to either Catholic Charities-Steuben/Livingston (envelopes will be available at the funeral home) or to a local food pantry of the donor’s choice.
The Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home is honored to assist Mary Jane’s family with the arrangements.
Online condolence or remembrance of Mary Jane are welcome below in the comment section or on the Facebook page of Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home or at www.bishopdesanto.com.
Mary Jane was a beautiful woman inside and out. So willing to make a virtual stranger feel like part of the family. I will miss her checking in with me to make sure I am ok. Gone but never forgotten
Thank you Brenda for those beautiful thoughts. She was a very caring person.
Mary Jane tried t one point to teach me how to use the serger. She was excellent at it, I was a disaster, but she did not lose patience with me. Over the years I got to know her better and she was a wonderful person and will be missed by all who knew her
Way way back we were little kids lived a few houses from each other. Spent much time at each others house. Went to school together. Was Godmother to her first son. Saw her on the farm when she had back trouble & again when her Mom passed. After that a few phone calls..will always remember my good friend. She was a kind , beautiful person ..also very smart. a childhood friend I will never forget. Someday we will meet again.
I got swept into the Burdick clan shortly after I became friends with her youngest child, Gretchen. We were people from opposite ends of the world, a New York City professional and a rural wife and mother. I was an only child. She had eight. I considered it a major achievement when I came to visit on a sunny July 4th, that I remembered the name of every sibling, their spouses and children. Mary Jane and Doug took most people as they found them and liked me even if I was from downstate. Mary Jane was warm and welcoming, and we found common ground and mutual respect. She was a pretty fearless soul and people gathered about her, won over by her sense of humor and great cooking. She took on this last challenge as she had so many others: with courage and a laugh. The world will be lonelier without her. Au revoir, MJ.
I will always remember how Mary Jane welcomed me in her family and made me feel as one more. She was a great cook and I just couldn’t have enough of her brownie and was always looking forward to weekend barbecues. A lovely and caring person. I have good memories in the living room where she is reading and watching lively a Buffallo Bills football match. She has meant a lot to me and a connection was built. I will miss her. Send you my love.