Jean Ellen Lampert

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother and cherished wife, Jean Ellen Lampert, on July 19, 2025, just 10 days shy of her 86th birthday. For several years Jean faced Parkinson’s Disease with incredible strength and grace and finally left this world in the home she created surrounded by her loving family.

Born on July 29, 1939, Jean is predeceased by her parents David Burgdorfer and Mary Amelia (Rivara) Burgdorfer, and sister Dorothy Schrempp. She was happily married for 59 years too, and survived by, her devoted husband Robert Lampert, 89. She was a loving mother to David Lampert, Jennifer DeMuro, and Mark Lampert, and a source of inspiration to all who knew her.

Jean was the best Nana ever to Adrian Lampert, Autumn Lampert, and Haydn Xu, as well as a model mother-in-law to Lisa Mcguire, Melissa Lampert, and Vincent DeMuro.

Family was everything to Jean and her lineage is long. She leaves behind three beautiful nieces: Debbie Silverstein, Jo Ann Fagan, and Karin Shell, as well as many wonderful cousins, especially Patricia (Richardson) Unsicker, 85, currently of South Carolina, who was raised by the Burgdorfers like a sister to Jean.

Growing up in Englewood, NJ, Jean attended Englewood public schools and St. Cecilia Interparochial School where she graduated high school in 1957. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1961 and worked for the Closter Public School District from 1961-1966. While working as secretary to the Board of Directors of the Rockefeller Center Luncheon Club in New York City in 1966 she met her future husband and the two wed in June of 1968. Shortly thereafter Jean returned to teaching in the Park Ridge School District until 1970.

A few fun facts about our mom—Jean was known for the school musicals she produced while teaching in Closter. She also hatched a rooster while working at Ann Blanche Smith School which proceeded to follow the superintendent around. One of her claims to fame was being the second-grade teacher to the late “The Sopranos” actor James Gandolfini. Jean later received her Master of Science in Language Arts from William Patterson University in 1971 and stayed home to raise her children until 1987 when she began working for the Hillsdale Public School District as an elementary school teacher until retiring in 2001.

Devout in her faith, Jean was a longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Mercy in Park Ridge. She was a eucharistic minister, catechism teacher, a member of the Social Justice Committee, and an active member of the church’s Prayer Group for more than 40 years.

Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who loved her. Those who wish to pay their respects may visit Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ on Wednesday, July 23 from 2:00PM-4:00PM and 6:00PM-8:00PM. A service to celebrate her life will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 2 Fremont Avenue in Park Ridge on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 10:00AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks instead that donations be made in Jean’s honor to the Light of Day Foundation (lightofday.org) which uses music performances to benefit research into Parkinson’s Disease, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.