Christina Maria Burbano-Jeffrey

Christina Burbano-Jeffrey passed away suddenly on September 8, 2026, in Santa Clarita, California. She had just turned 50.

Christina enjoyed a loving, music-filled romance with her husband, Jim Jeffrey, and was the proud and devoted mother of Skylee Jeffrey Rosenwinkel. Christina and Jim lived in Santa Clarita for the last 23 years. They recently celebrated their 25th anniversary by traveling in Europe, making a special visit to see Skylee and their son-in-law, Kurt, who are welcoming their first child to the world.

She was an admired professor at Antelope Valley College and the College of the Canyons, where she and Jim both taught music, and a highly sought after private music instructor and performer. Christina also conducted the college’s Mariachi Nuevo Canto and Symphony of the Canyons. Her students, throughout the decades, recall that her positivity brightened their classes and inspired them to improve.

With her striking natural silver hair, which she recently added purple streaks to, her kind and welcoming spirit, and Christina’s exceptional artistry with the violin, Christina was an unmistakable presence in progressive rock community. Her band mates in Lobate Scarp recall Christina’s participation ignited the most definitive version of the band. They also eagerly awaited the release of her solo project, Hypnagogic Hum, which will be completed by Jim and her friends so that the world may celebrate her talent. As a freelance violinist, she played in studio sessions and live performances with such prominent artists as Twila Paris, Phil Keaggy, Glass Harp, and Yes. Just prior to the pandemic, Christina traveled to China to play violin on a month-long orchestral concert tour, an experience that shaped and deeply inspired her.

After earning a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance (with minors in composition, viola, piano, and voice) from Youngstown State University’s prestigious Dana School of Music, where she met her husband, Jim, Christina achieved a Master’s in Ethnomusicology from Arizona State University. There, she taught lessons on a Yaqui reservation, recorded Yaqui musicians playing the music of traditional deer dance and Easter celebrations, and created instructional videos to preserve these traditions for teaching future generations.

To Jim, Christina was the most loving, caring, brilliant, and inspiring person he ever knew -- passionate about art and helping people. She was a devout Christian and did her best to emulate the way Jesus would treat people at every opportunity with love, grace, encouragement and acceptance.

Christina is survived by: her husband Jim; daughter Skylee; son-in-law Kurt; grandchildren Silas and Ezra; mother Bonnie Jean (Mayer) Pearl; father Raul Burbano; and mother-in-law Cynthia Foore. In addition to her husband, daughter and grandchildren, son-in-law, and parents, Christina leaves: stepmother Carolyn Burbano, and stepsisters Susie (Chad) McGarry and Mikki (Brian) Mihok; nieces Mikayla and Bella Mihok.

In addition, Christina leaves: aunt and uncle Bitsy and Chappie Bair and their children Kristin, Booker, Tucker, and grandchildren Syda, Sammie and Koen Ray; aunt and uncle Lucy and Cesar Arguello; aunt and uncle Patricio and Norma Burbano; aunt and uncle Paco and Maritza Burbano; and her father’s American family who kindly helped with citizenship: Daniel and Shirley King; sisters Janie Knap and Jackie Salmon; brothers Daniel, Bo, Billy, David and Timmy.

She was preceded in death by: grandparents, Andrew and Clara Mayer of Youngstown, Ohio; Edmundo and Irlanda Burbano of Quito, Ecuador; stepfather Dennis Pearl of Youngstown, Ohio, and father-in-law James Edwin Jeffrey Jr. of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.

Christina was universally beloved by friends, family, students, and colleagues. If you loved her, live as she lived: make time to care for others, show kindness, create whatever art inspires you to live fully, and share it with the world.

On Tuesday, September 29, 2026, services will be held at 12:00 pm at: Cornerstone Presbyterian Church (PCA), 471 Mathews Rd., Boardman, OH 44512, https://cpcboardman.org/

On Saturday, November 14, 2026, services will be held at 2:00 pm at: Santa Clarita United Methodist Church, 26640 Bouquet Canyon Rd., Santa Clarita, CA 91350, https://www.scumc.org

Streaming video will also be available for the Boardman and Santa Clarita services.

Friends have set up a memorial fund at GoFundMe to support the family during this transition.