Margaret Rosina Kuczynski née Burger, 86, of Chapel Hill, NC, passed away on Friday, April 25, 2025, in Maggie Valley, NC, where she was vacationing with her family in the Smoky Mountains.
She was born in Jasper, IN, on January 17, 1939, to Emil and Lucille (Wehr) Burger.
She is survived by her children, Don (Mary) Weyer of Jasper, IN, Kriste Kuczynski of Durham, NC, and Courtney (Chris) Coward also of Durham, NC; her grandchildren, Dayna (Jeremy) Chandler, Charlie and Freddie Coward; her great-grandsons Noah Larson and Eli Chandler; great-great granddaughter, Lucy Larson; and her siblings, Sadie (Ray) Harpenau, James (Carol J.) Burger, Ted (Carol F.) Burger, Don Burger, and Rosie (Dan) Fowler Nichols. She is also survived by her stepchildren, Diane Schuessler, Irene Persohn, Andrew Kuczynski, and Conrad Kuczynski, and their families.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Kuczynski; her two children, Kelly and Tony; her grandson Eric Lee Weyer; and her siblings, Hilbert and Joseph Burger, Louise Schaeffer, and Dorothy Kidwell.
Margaret was retired from the Greater Jasper School District, where she worked as a teaching assistant at the Ireland Elementary School for over 20 years. She moved to Chapel Hill, NC, in 2008 to live near her daughters and volunteered at the St. Thomas More Catholic School for 10 years.
Margaret was the heart of her family, embracing the spirit of “family first” in all she did. Her children and grandchildren were her greatest treasures, and her siblings were not just family but lifelong friends. She found great joy in nurturing young minds, dedicating herself to helping elementary school children reach their full potential. With an infectious warmth and a genuine love for connecting with people, she brought smiles to everyone she encountered—whether they were friends, family, physicians, or salesclerks.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 3:30 pm on Thursday, May 8 at the St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill with a reception to follow.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00am on Friday, June 13 at the St. Mary Catholic Church in Ireland, IN with a reception to follow.
Memorial donations may be made to the Children’s Leukemia Research Association (childrensleukemia.org).
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