Joy Sharon "Mama" Burkhart

**Gioa Sharon Burkhart**

**Winfield, Illinois** - The world lost a bit of its sparkle on March 27, 2024, when Joy "Gioa" Sharon Burkhart, aged 66, took her final bow in Winfield, Illinois. Born under an auspicious star on October 23, 1957, in Evergreen Park, IL, Joy danced through life, leaving a trail of laughter and plant clippings wherever she went.

With a name like Joy, it was only fitting that she approached life with a zest that was contagious. An explorer at heart and a walker by choice, she never met a path she didn't want to tread or a dog she didn't want to pet. Her green thumb was legendary, and rumor has it her plants only whispered their secrets to her. Between the melodies of her favorite songs, the splash of pool water, and the sizzle of the BBQ, Joy found her rhythm.

A master of the art of lounging on lazy rivers and the queen of card games (where a little bit of bluffing is always allowed), Joy also had a knack for grilling up fun and laughter along with her famous BBQ. She could outshine the sunsets she so loved to watch, and her sunrises were always on the sunny side up.

She leaves behind a garden of memories with her sons, Jason (the apple of her eye, along with his wife Stephanie)grandchildren Morgan, Richard.
Joshua (the strong branch, with his wife Tamara),
and her sprouting grandchildren Kennedy, Sloane, Ryleigh, and Cooper. Her ex-husband Jim, though no longer a husband, remained a devout friend, and her siblings Sandra and Bill, along with a bouquet of nieces Lisa, Tina, Rachel, Becca, Amanda, and nephews, Mike, and Matt will miss her blooming presence.

Wrigley, her late cat, is probably waiting on the other side of the rainbow bridge, wondering where his favorite human has been. Preceding her in the great garden in the sky were her parents William and Franca, and her sisters Frances and Hanna.

A celebration of Joy's life, complete with her favorite tunes and a BBQ spread, will take place on a later date. In lieu of flowers, plant a seed of kindness in her memory or make a donation to the American Cancer Society or Catholic Charities, two causes close to her heart.

We'll say "see you later" to Joy, knowing full well that her legacy is like a periwinkle: evergreen, ever beautiful, and ever spreading joy.