Janice Lister Burge

Janice Lister Burge, a longtime resident of Baton Rouge, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the of 99. Janice was born on October 20, 1923 in the beautiful farming community of Weeksville in North Carolina. She grew up on the family farm in a loving, close-knit family. She always liked to tell people that she was the favorite of her beloved father, Marvin Lister, Sr. She was the Valedictorian of her graduating high school class and then went on to earn her teaching degree at East Carolina College. After college, she taught high school French and coached the girls’ basketball team in Harford, NC. It was during this time that she met her future husband, Dennis (Pete) Burge while he was stationed nearby at a Navy base. They married in 1946 and moved to Bay St. Louis Miss. Where Pete taught and coached at St. Stanislaus. Their two daughters, Denise and Debby were born in Bay St. Louis, and in 1950, the family moved to Baton Rouge where Janice lived the remainder of her life. She was a homemaker, devoted to her girls, and she loved sewing for them. She was an avid reader and always had a bag of books from the library. She was active at First Baptist Church and loved her ladies in her Sunday School class. Her heart was always back in North Carolina and she so enjoyed the month every summer when she, Pete, and the girls spent a month Weeksville. Janice is survived by her two daughters, Denise Walden (Glenn) and Debby Cartwright (David). She was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and Bertha Lister, and her siblings Lina Belle Jeanette, Mary Elizabeth Etheridge, Frances D’Auteuil, Ruth Lister, and Marvin Lister Jr. Special thanks goes out to Sherry Butcher, Janice’s long time caregiver and beloved friend. Sherry added so much joy to Janice’s last 11 years. We also thank Hospice of Baton Rouge for their incredible support especially Natalie, Shannon, Lamarla, and Valerie. A graveside service will be held at Greenoaks Funeral Home at 10:00am on Monday, March 20, 2023. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either the Music Ministry or the Garden Ministry at First Baptist Church (P.O. Box 1309, Baton Rouge, LA. 70821). Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Greenoaksfunerals.com for the Burge family.