03/01/2026
RIH Mary Burkhart… what an amazing well lived life. Thank you Mary for the time that you gave to the Muskingum Respiratory Care Association. 🩷
The Hillis Combs Funeral Home is honored to care for the family of Mary Burkhart.
Following a life spent enjoying and experiencing as much as she possibly could, the following notes were left by Mary Burkhart before she left us on this earth on February 25, 2026, at 1:10 a.m., to begin her adventures in the hereafter.
Mary Virginia (yes, the jokes were ongoing at Bishop Rosecrans Catholic High School) was born in Zanesville on September 19, 1952, to the late Lloyd and Virginia O’Brien, much to the excited surprise of her 12-year-old sister, Sondra.
Following her marriage to Mark Burkhart in 1971, they welcomed three beautiful daughters, Kelly (Brent Sabo), Katie (Michael Farrell), and Kristy (Justin Jarrett).
Not wishing to dwell on her death, unless, of course, it came about as a spectacular event of derring-do (kids, insert exciting escapade here), Mary wishes to be remembered for living her life. After working as a stay-at-home mom for 20 years, she began to explore the world outside of laundry, dishes, and chauffeuring in hopes of discovering what she wanted to be when she grew up. By taking a job at Olive Garden, she found she loved to serve others, developed a grand appreciation for wine, and, following a trip to Italy as a wine ambassador, discovered traveling was the most exciting thing one could ever do.
In 2000, after falling into a job in radio, she began a ten-year stint spending her early mornings as a newscaster and co-host with Rick Sabine for WYBZ Radio. The laughter and fun were genuine, the sleep deprivation exhausting, and her time spent at Y107.3 would always be the greatest time she ever had earning a paycheck. As a volunteer, she worked with The Souper Bowl Benefit Luncheon, Red Cross Power of the Purse Auction, the Alfred Carr Center Cake Auction, and also served on the Muskingum Respiratory Care Association Board. (Thank you, Keely Warden, for setting such a stellar example. You’ve always given so much; I had to try and do my part too.)
Mary’s passion for travel continued, and, realizing there will never be enough lifetimes to do it all, she always kept her luggage and passport updated. Together with Mark, her family, and some wonderful friends, her explorations included snowmobiling (and getting lost) in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; parasailing over the Gulf of Mexico; flying through a rainbow in Kauai; and zip-lining in Jamaica. She celebrated her 65th birthday in Venice, ate fresh halibut on the docks in Alaska, kissed the Blarney Stone, drank too much wine in Paris, made pasta in Italy, was snowed on in Switzerland, shushed in the Sistine Chapel, attended Mass at St. Peter’s, and passed through the Panama Canal and lastly traveled and explored the great outback of Australia ending with New Zealand.
Mary was an adequate golfer who truly loved the sport and those she spent time with while chasing that stupid little white ball.
She counted among her circle of favorite people daughters Kelly and Kristy, nieces Theresa Thomas and Colleen Jackson, and the wonderful women with whom she played cards for over 40 years.
She learned early on not to be overly concerned with what other people thought, loved rock and roll, and taught herself to be a pretty good pie baker. The most important lesson she learned in life is that, though you can’t control unexpected events and the ensuing chaos, you can control how you deal with them.
Mary is survived by Mark, her husband of 55 years, and her life would not have been complete without friend and mentor Mary Ellen Weingartner, golf partner and gracious hostess Roxy Smith, and the one person who could always make her laugh, Rick Sabine.
Mary O’Brien Burkhart learned at an early age that the cycle of life swiftly carries on, and two events remained with her always as the circle continued: holding the hand of her mother as the woman who gave her life passed away and gripping the hand of her daughter Kristy during the births of her grandson and granddaughter, Jaxon and Scarlett.
It was a wonderful life!
Just a random, thoughtful observation. Assume, for a moment, if you will, that no one is interested in anything you might have to say unless it begins with “Oh, dear,” “So sorry,” or “I understand.” (Please tell me more.) Though over half a century old before most of her adventures began, she realized the appreciation of them was perhaps enhanced because she had dreamt about them for so long. Had such experiences come earlier or easier, they would not have likely been as important.
She danced (until her knees gave out) and competed with a group of moms who had waited during their own daughters’ classes long enough and decided to join in the fun.
These are the memories of a woman, a wife, a mom, and a person who, quite frankly, ran her life like the Queen she was. And as you can clearly see, she was an extremely talented writer. I will do my very best to finish where she left off and I promise to try to keep up with her wit. Mary saved countless quotes, scribbled observations, and bits of humor in her belongings — because of course she did. She never wasted a good line. It feels only right that we tidy up her obituary with a few of the “Mary-isms” she left behind. She once thoughtfully declared that unexpected things are absolutely going to happen in life. Plans will unravel. Chaos will show up uninvited. People will disappoint you. Golf balls will land in water hazards. Flights will be delayed for 17 hours. But she realized something powerful — the only control she ever truly had was how she chose to handle it. And handle it she did.
She chose courage.
She chose humor.
She chose grace.
She chose to respond instead of react. To laugh instead of complain (well… most of the time). To adjust her crown and move forward.
She called it her “Queenism.”
She decided she would rule her own life. Not perfectly. Not quietly. But intentionally. The choice was always hers. And if you knew her, you know she wore that crown well.
Mary did not want any type of formal service. No somber suits. No quiet rows of chairs. No long, stiff program. Instead, she asked that we gather at a later date — together, the way she preferred — to laugh loudly, tell stories that get slightly better every time they’re told, and raise a glass in her honor. The event will be filled with beer, wine, and, of course, margaritas — because she believed life was meant to be celebrated, not whispered about.
Details will follow. Just know that when we gather, it will not feel heavy.It will feel like her.
Long live our Queen.
To sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note of condolence please visit www.hilliscombsfh.com.
