Mary Elizabeth Burgess
Mary Elizabeth “Mimi” Ryan Burgess was born in Norwalk, Connecticut on May 4, 1935 and passed away peacefully on January 5, 2023 in Norwalk, Connecticut to reunite with her friends and fellow rabble rowsers the Rev. Henry K. Yordon, the Rev. John P. Ball, Mary T. “Bea” Brown; and beloved family members daughter, Tamara Elizabeth Wagner; daughter-in-law, Debra Joy Tiagwad; niece, Cherisse Myles Keitt and her mom and dad.
The 87 year old native Norwalker, affectionally nicknamed and widely known as “Mimi” was the only child of the late Betty and William Ryan. For the past 55 years she has been married to the love of her life and best friend, City Sheriff Robert “Bobby” Burgess. The two of them became widely known for their significant service and leadership to the Norwalk Community and the State of Connecticut.
Mimi was an avid reader and a whiz with numbers as evidenced by her profession as a bookkeeper/accountant. Even early on in their relationship, Mimi found the need to take control of managing her husband’s Band: “Bobby and the Respectables”,
to ensure that the money aspects were always in order. Mimi also enjoyed working in her garden, and absolutely loved their getaways to Newport and the Bahamas.
A member of the First Congregational Church on the Green, Mimi believed in interracial justice, civil rights, furthering the cause of democracy and loving her neighbors fully, which led her to be actively involved in making a difference in the lives of her community members in so many ways; including: Chair of the District B Democratic Committee, Chair of South Norwalk Electric Works Commission, Chair of South Norwalk Electric and Water Commission, Chair of South Norwalk Community Center, Commissioner of the City of Norwalk Planning and Zoning Board, Board Member of the Roodner Court Tenants Association, Member of Planned Parenthood and Problem Pregnancies, Inc., Member of the Wilton Low Income Housing Coalition, the Norwalk Red Cross, Norwalk Legal Services, Connecticut Legal Services, Action Housing and Norwalk Low Income Housing Coalition, Treasurer and Housing Chair of the Norwalk NAACP, Advisor to Norwalk Congress of Racial Equality (Core), Art and Craft Teacher, Bea Brown’s Parent Awareness Group and Treasurer of State Representative’s Campaigns, Administrative Assistant to State Representative and counselor to many. Mimi was also a Justice of the Peace and mail order minister.
Mimi will be remembered by her family and friends as a fun-loving, warm-hearted, sophisticated, and caring woman; highly intelligent, full of integrity, socially conscious, and utterly proud of her children. Above all, Mimi was a passionate advocate for fairness, justice and equality for all, a gift that she passed along to her children and those who she adopted into her family.
Mimi is survived by her husband, Bobby; sons, William Michael Tiagwad and Robert (Angel) Burgess; son-in-law, David Wagner; grandchildren; Hilary ( Javier), Ryan (Whitney), Matthew ( Jessica), Brett (Alyssa) and Ebony; seven greatgrandchildren; adopted daughter, Darlene Young; sisters, Harriet Myles and Evelyn Brown; adopted brothers Vernel Brayboy and Joseph Brayboy; sistersin-law Joyce Dimmock and Delores Bentley and a host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, loved ones, extended family and dear friends.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 20, 2023 at 11am at the First Congregational Church on the Green in Norwalk. Interment will follow at St. John Cemetery, 223 Richards Avenue, Norwalk.
Her family will receive friends Friday, January 20, 2023 at 10am at the First Congregational Church on the Green.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Congregational Church - Rev. Henry K Yordon Justice Fund in her name.