FEATURED JOBS
Comments (0)
She was big sister to both family and friends, everyone’s image of a loving mother, caring wife and devoted daughter. She will be remembered as placing her precious children ahead of life’s distractions.
When Jodi Alter Buerger learned of her cancer 4½ years ago, it was like she hit the “re-set” button and made a decision that never wavered.
She would spend every possible waking moment being alive with and for her three children.
Classroom mom, soccer mom, car pool mom, but most of all loving mom had to come first ahead of chemotherapy, radiation, doctor’s visits, sometimes friends and family and whatever other challenges life posed.
Her brother, BALTIMORE JEWISH TIMES co-publisher, Andrew Buerger, remembered how she would always be the “one constant in all of our lives.” He didn’t romanticize anything, talking firmly of the love and respect that all of his siblings had for their big sister, their frustration that breast cancer impacts so many, and their grateful appreciation that Jodi was married to her dear husband, Peter Augustini.
Jodi has been that constant in the life of her children: Charles, 12; Caroline, 9, and Max, 5. She and Peter were marred in September of 1994, and lived in Medfield, Mass., a Boston suburb.
Jodi and Andrew were born to Jewish Times publisher Charles A. “Chuck” Buerger and the late Brona Buerger. Jodi and Andrew were adopted by Jewish Times co-publisher Ronnie Buerger. Chuck and Ronnie lovingly raised Jodi and Andrew, Danielle Bunting, Kevin Buerger and Lauren Buerger. Chuck passed away in November of 1996.
Jodi was born December 26, 1963. She would graduate from the McDonogh School and then Boston University before earning her MBA at Tulane. Her career included stints at EDS, McGraw Hill as well as On-Technology, a Massachusetts-based software company. She was the captain of her high school team and played college level lacrosse. Jodi left her career to work at home as a full-time mom.
Jodi would be diagnosed with cancer in October of 2004. She was last here in Baltimore during Thanksgiving to be with family and friends.
Long-time family friend Alan Fleischmann underscored Jodi’s grace, strength and love of family.
“She was soft-spoken, but at the same time strong and opinionated,” said Mr. Fleischmann. “No mother in the world loved her children more than Jodi Buerger. She never had a break these 4½ years, but she lived in many ways four years longer than any doctor could have estimated because of her deep maternal love for her children. She’s a mother who didn’t want to leave her kids. It’s a quiet, strong, stubborn love that she brought to motherhood, that she brought to being a wife, that she brought to her family.
Her dear husband, Peter, said, “On behalf of Jodi, Charles, Caroline and Max, I want to thank each of you for all you’ve done to support and sustain us. Thank you for every hug, every tear, every bouquet of flowers, every prayer, every meal you’ve made for us. Thank you for every card of support, every ride to the hospital and every encouraging phone call. Every time you helped our kids to their event (and every extra cheer you gave them to make sure they had our support), every chocolate chip cookie, brownie or hot chocolate drink for Jodi, every time you covered me at work so I could spend time with my family, and all the other acts of kindness along the way. You helped ease this terrible burden allowing Jodi the chance to see her children grow and become the special people she wanted them to be.”
Funeral services were held, May 11, at Temple Beth David, Westwood, Mass., at noon.
Interment followed at Mount Auburn at 1:30 p.m. in Cambridge, Mass.
The family will observe the shiva mourning period Monday following interment until 8 p.m. at the Augustinis’ home, 123 Green Street, Medfield, Mass, 02052. Services will be held at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, shiva will be observed at the same address from 1-8 p.m. with services conducted at 7 p.m.
A two-day shiva period will be observed on Wednesday and Thursday at the home of Ronnie Buerger, 2800 Baublitz Road, Owings Mills, Md. 21117.
The Buergers will be sitting Shiva at the Buerger farm (address below) Wednesday and Thursday evening this week from 5 -8 with services at 7:30.
2800 Baublitz Rd
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Donations in Jodi Alter Buerger’s memory can be sent to the charity of your choice or on-line to Climb For Hope, a Baltimore-based foundation that raises funds for breast cancer research. http://www.climbforhope.com/