Judith Ann (Bailey) Burkardt, 81, of Mendota, Illinois passed away peacefully with family by her side on March 15, 2024, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2024  at Holy Cross  Church, Mendota, Illinois with Father Peter Pilon officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, Sublette, Illinois. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. on Friday, March 22 at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota, Illinois.

Judi was born February 20, 1943, in Peoria, Illinois to Clifford and Margery (Sharp) Bailey.

She graduated from East Peoria High School and earned her teaching degree from Illinois State University at Normal. She married Edward Dean Burkardt on December 23, 1967 in East Peoria, Illinois. He preceded her in death March 16, 2017, after 49 years of marriage. She taught 32 years in Mendota, primarily in 4th grade, retiring in 1998. Known as "Mrs. B.," she loved her students and her teacher friends. Students might remember her green hat and apron, along with her wet noodle. Upon retirement, Judi and Ed spent winters in Tucson, Arizona, following her grandparents, parents, and later by her sister, brother, and spouses. She was a member of Holy Cross Church. Things she loved besides family and friends: books, her screened-in porch, dogs (Tinker, Fat Albert, and Bo), Steak n' Shake, jokes, laughter, HGTV, cheesecake, and smiles. She especially enjoyed attending Colin's baseball games and blowing her blue plastic horn in excitement, which got Scott kicked out of a game because he was defending her right to blow her horn. We should all remember her infectious giggle and her great smile.

Her survivors are son Scott, his wife Traci, most-loved grandson Colin; sister Marilyn Meiner, brother Ron Bailey; sisters-in-law Jeanne Bailey, Lola Burkardt, Pat Burkardt, Beverly Burkardt, Eileen Johannes, Jane Harris, Marilyn Carls, and Mary Lou Burkardt, brothers-in-law George Meiner, Bill Burkardt, Rod Carls, and Tom Burkardt and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Memorials in her memory may be directed to American Heart Association, Holy Cross Church or Stonecroft Village Retirement Community in Mendota, Illinois.