MaryLou Burgeson Obituary

MaryLou Burgeson passed peacefully in the early morning of May 13 th , 2025 at 84 years old

in her longtime residence in Yucaipa, CA. Born March 1 st , 1941 in Minneapolis Minnesota, she

was adopted at age two by Helen Petsch Jerdee and Melvin Dutton Jerdee. Her family, which

included her parents, herself, and her sister Donna, moved to Albuquerque when she was 8. In

1968 MaryLou moved to California, where she was a Yucaipa resident for 56 years. She worked

as a phlebotomist for 30 years.

A mother of two sons and one daughter, and grandmother to two grandsons, Marylou was

blessed with a large family. She is survived by her two sons, Brian and Kevin Burgeson, her

daughter-in-law, Dana Burgeson, her son-in-law, Brian Burkitt, her two grandsons Tyler and

Chase Burgeson, her Sister Donna Knox and brother-in-law Terry Knox, her best friend Debbie

Bauer, who was like a sister to her, and her many other extended family, nieces, and nephews.

MaryLou enjoyed motorsports events and travel and especially loved visiting the beach.

Throughout her life she attended NASCAR races in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Texas. She enjoyed

many adventures with her sisters, going on over 20 cruises and frequently visiting Laguna Beach

and Lake Havasu. A huge lover of animals, MaryLou raised over 15 litters of German Shepards

and adopted many cats and dogs throughout her life. She owned many Morgan Show Horses that

her daughter Cindi rode and showed before Cindi’s passing in October of 1988. One of

MaryLou’s fondest memories was from an Alaskan Cruise with Debbie, where they rode a

helicopter to a glacier to see a team of sled dogs on a beautiful and cold day. They met a musher

and his team of Iditarod sled dogs and camp dogs, then back at camp they got to play with the

dogs and puppies. MaryLou will be deeply missed and fondly remembered for her no-nonsense

attitude, never afraid to speak up for herself or those she loved.