Phyllis Jean Burger, 88, formerly of Urbana, died at Rockford Memorial Hospital on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 after a short illness. She had most recently been a resident of Kirk's Place at Wesley Willows Retirement Center in Rockford.

Visitation will be Friday, May 23, 4-7 PM at Renner-Wikoff Funeral Chapel, 1900 Philo Road, Urbana. A brief service of remembrance and celebration of life will follow at 7 PM at the Funeral Home. Burial will occur on Saturday at a private family service.

Phyllis was born in 1925 in Cortland, New York, the daughter of Aleta J. and James Clinton Voorhees. She graduated from Ithaca High School in Ithaca, New York and was a secretary to the President of Ithaca College until she married Lieutenant Walter C. Jacob, August 12, 1943. They lived in Arlington, Virginia, outside Washington DC while he was in the Navy and then moved to Ithaca and Riverhead, Long Island, New York when he was affiliated with Cornell University. A later move brought them to the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois. After Walter Jacob's death in 1964, she married A.W. "Tom" Burger, October 25, 1967.

While raising her two children, Judy and Paul Jacob, she was active in their school activities, parent organizations, music and athletic events. She was employed for several years as a bookkeeper at Urbana High School. With her second marriage, she raised four step-daughters. As a partner to Tom Burger, she became a participating member, colleague, guide, and mother to the Field and Furrow Club of the Department of Agronomy at the University of Illinois and is affectionately called "Ma" Burger by many. She was an eager bridge player and was usually busy with crafts. She most enjoyed needle point, ceramics, crewel, knitting, and basket making. While wintering in Florida, she enjoyed shelling and fashioning items from the collected shells.

She was preceded in death by her parents, stepfather Wilfred Grove, husband Walter C. Jacob and husband A.W. "Tom" Burger. She is survived by a daughter, Judy Jacob Haselhorst of Poplar Grove, Illinois, and son, Paul Jacob of San Dimas, California; and step-daughters Katherine Christiansen of Elizabethton, TN and Zimbabwe, Africa, Marie Burger of Schaumburg, IL, Patricia Wente of St. Louis, MO, and Carol Burger-Preston of Danville. Also surviving are seven grandchildren, Kathe Keithley of Poplar Grove, Brian Haselhorst of Poplar Grove, David Jacob of Texas, Heidi Knight of Jupiter, Florida, Ruth Christiansen of Wauconda, Illinois, Julie Christiansen of North Palm Beach, Florida, and Jessica Wente of Orlando, Florida. She was thrilled to also have had fun with six great grandchildren including Payton and Hunter Keithley, Taylor, Ryah, and Zander Haselhorst, and Melva Knight. Prior to her death she learned of another great grandchild due on her birthday in November.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her name to the U of I Foundation, Turner Hall Burger Initiative, ACES Office of Advancement, 203 Mumford Hall, 1301 W. Gregory Dr, Urbana, IL 61801, or to Kirk's Place at Wesley Willows 4141 N. Rockton Road, Rockford, Illinois 61103.