VENICE BUHAIN; writer

LACEY - Ann Burgman, who served on the Lacey City Council for 16 years, died Saturday morning after a long battle with cancer.

Burgman, 66, also was a longtime business owner, serving as the funeral director of Woodlawn Funeral Home and Cemetery with her husband, Tim.

“Ann was a great lady,” said Charlie Kirry, a consultant for her when she was the 2001 Republican challenger against state Rep. Brendan Williams. “She had a solid grace about her. That’s skill that works well within her industry.”

Her daughter, Teresa Goen-Burgman, said that her mother saw her work on the city council and her work at Woodlawn as part of helping people and serving families.

“Not a lot of people knew this, but she had an incredible sense of humor,” she said. “And she was a fighter; you can’t beat cancer four times without really having a will to do it.”

Burgman met her husband in the 1960s, while attending Seattle University. She joined his family business and she earned her funeral director license in the 1970s.

Burgman was diagnosed with cancer in 1992, and she dealt with remission and recurrences of cancer periodically throughout the rest of her life. Throughout it all, she missed few meetings and continued to work. She served on the council until 2009.

She is survived by her husband and children George Burgman, Kathleen Blanchette, Teresa Goen-Burgman, Joe Burgman and Jennie Burgman, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A son, Michael Burgman, preceded her in death. Arrangements are pending.