Miriam Julia Burkett, 81
Miriam Julia Burkett, a longtime resident of Dover for 45 years, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 13, 2021. She was born in Middlesbrough, England to the late Allan and Nora Smith on February 20, 1940.
In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by her brother, Colin Smith.
She was a proud "Yorkshire Lass" and started her career by feeding children of the less fortunate in her hometown. She later immigrated to Pittsburgh, Pa. at the age of 21 to fulfill her desire of adventure and becoming a nanny, and where she met her future husband. They were soon married and traveled from duty station to duty station as an Air Force wife, with frequent trips back to England. She worked various jobs including Playtex and Roma Italian Restaurant. But her most important was the raising of her three children.
She was a member of Roby United Methodist Church in Leipsic, Del. She loved knitting, reading, doing puzzles, going out to breakfast with her friends, watching Turkish, English and American soap operas. She also liked keeping up with her large, international family via Facebook.
She is survived by her husband of 59 years, John Barry Burkett; her brother, Ivan Smith and wife Barbara; her brother-in-law, H. Scott Burkett; her son, Ivan Burkett and wife Emilia; her son, Craig Burkett and wife Laura; her daughter, Elizabeth Hovey and husband Michael; her grandchildren, Emma James and her husband Daniel with their children Micah and Chloe; Jennifer Wassink and her husband Jonathan with their children Isabella, Emilia, Branson, Charlotte, Sawyer, Rowynn; Mario Burkett and his fiancé Ana with her daughter Ava; Matthew Burkett and his fiancé Tanya; the late Michael Miller with his children Ryan, Nathan, Jeremy and his wife Danielle with their children Mason and Autumn; Tracey Gaines and her partner Reese with their daughter Maddison; Abby Raksnis; Jason Raksnis and his wife Angela with their children Aubrey, and Jacob.