Jillian Nora Burke passed away in her parents’ arms on July 4, 2025, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston from complications due to Sanfilippo Syndrome Type C.
Jillian moved to Belmont with her parents and sister when she was 3. She attended A Place to Grow preschool and Burbank Elementary School in Belmont, Learning Prep School in Newton, and Cotting School in Lexington.
When Jillian was younger, she loved to perform, participating in several dance performances and plays. She was a yellow brick and a winged monkey in “The Wizard of Oz” and a prairie girl in “Oklahoma!” with the Watertown Children’s Theater.
Jillian loved Winnie the Pooh and absolutely everything Disney, especially Disney movies. She loved swimming in the ocean – the colder the water, the better. She loved the color aqua blue, and she loved pizza, cheeseburgers, and Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. She also loved the TV show, “Reba.” But most of all, Jillian loved home.
Our hearts are forever broken not to have our Jill by our sides. We miss seeing her smile and hearing her laugh.
Jillian is survived by her parents, Paul and Nancy Burke of Belmont, as well as her sisters, Lindsey and Kelsey. Paul was a teacher at Cambridge Rindge and Latin, and Nancy taught at Plymouth Nursery School in Belmont. Both of her sisters also have Sanfilippo Syndrome Type C. She is also survived by her loving extended family.
Donations may be made in Jillian’s memory to the JLK Sanfilippo Research Foundation, Box 564, Belmont, MA 02478, a 501(c)3 nonprofit her parents created to help fund research for this ultra-rare disease. There is also a GoFundMe page, “In Memory of Jillian.”
gofundme.com/in-memory-of-jillian-burke
A celebration of Jillian’s life will be held at the Mary Catherine Chapel, Brasco Funeral Home, 773 Moody St, Waltham, on Tuesday, Sept. 23. Visitation will be from 5 to 6 p.m. The celebration will begin at 6 p.m.. All are welcome.
Jillian’s life truly deserves to be celebrated! We will love you forever, Jillian.
