Jeanette Lee Burt

Jeanette Lee Burt Lakeland - Jeanette Lee Burt, born Barbara Jeanette Lee, who was a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal and mother, died Friday, April 28. She was 71. Jeanette moved from Louisiana to Lakeland after marrying her husband of 40 years, Roy Allen Burt, Jr., who died in 2009. She was born August 19, 1945, the first of three children – Jeanette, Ronny and Richard – to Jean Alford Lee and John Monterey Lee III. Though her first name was Barbara, she always went by Jeanette, named after her mother Jean, as little Jean or Jeanette. She began her career as a teacher in Louisiana, but after moving to Lakeland, started her first teaching position in Florida at Mulberry Middle School in 1968. She returned to Mulberry Middle at the end of her career as the Assistant Principal for Curriculum and retired from Mulberry Middle in 2005. During her career, Jeanette was a teacher at Lakeland Adult School, Mulberry Middle School and Bartow High School. She also served as a counselor at Lake Gibson Junior High School and as the Guidance Director at Lakeland High School. She enjoyed teaching all ages and helping students find the right career path during their high school experience. Jeanette was the first in her family to graduate from college. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Belhaven University, a master’s degree from Rollins College and later a specialist degree from Nova Southeastern University. After retirement, Jeanette was active in the community, volunteering as a reading coach at Dixieland Elementary, where her sons attended grade school. She was a member of the local General Federation of Women’s Club and the Magnolia Investors Club of Lakeland. She attended the Presbyterian Church in the Highlands and was active in Bible study and bake sales. She enjoyed scrapbooking and creating photo albums of her family. Jeanette is survived by her two brothers, Richard Lee and Ronny Lee; her two sons, Patrick John Burt and Roy Allen Burt III; her daughter-in-law, Kristin Evensen Burt; her four grandchildren, Kassidy Shepherd, Patric Diamond, Jordan Burt and Gabriel Burt; and her great-granddaughter Aniyah Shepherd. Services will be held at 10 a.m. at Heath Funeral Chapel on Friday, May 5, 2017. Donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014 Hagerstown, MD 21741 in her and Roy’s names.