The following was written with love by her children:

Most obituaries talk about a person’s life in a general sense. You get an idea of who this person was, and the people that were in their life. But sometimes it doesn’t impart just how amazing that person was, and just how special they were to the people in their life, so we will endeavor to convey just that with these words.

Our mom, JoEllen Omdal-Burns, was a singular woman. We may be biased, but to us and everyone in her orbit, there was no one else like her. She had so much love and light to give, as well as advice, even if you didn’t want to hear it. She loved fiercely those who were important to her and was the first person to show a stranger kindness. Every time the door is held for someone, each time someone carries another’s groceries just because or return’s something someone dropped by accident, etc., we will aways think about JoEllen and the kindness she would want us to show others, just because…

She was born in Bayonne, NJ, to two amazing people, Bob and Clara Burns. She was the eldest of seven children and developed a love for clothes from a young age. If you ask any of her siblings, they will each tell you she always had the best outfits! JoEllen loved her brothers and sisters fiercely. When the family moved to Whitehouse Station, NJ, they created a beautiful life in this area, JoEllen and her siblings made special memories riding their horse, Ladybug, who loved to roll in streams, especially when she still had riders on her back! JoEllen was always full of interesting and funny stories from her childhood, and, like any family they had their ups and downs, they still loved each other unconditionally and made so many wonderful memories.

The next chapter of JoEllen’s life was her favorite, mostly because it involved her raising her children. While they were growing up, JoEllen was there for both Morgan and Del in every way possible. She went to all the horse shows and gymnastics practices, the football games and karate classes. Some of the best days for JoEllen were waking up at the crack of dawn and going to Morgan’s horse shows in the morning and then racing off to Del’s motocross in the afternoon.

If her children were her world, a new definition was created when she earned the title of Grandmother. She showered her grand-babies with love and affection that was genuine and pure. She always made sure that her children and grandchildren knew just how much she loved them and would always be there for them. No matter where life took them, JoEllen still loved her numerous weekly calls with her children and grandchildren.

We are all going to miss her every single day, not just because she was the best mom and an amazing grandma, but because she was so much to so many people. She will be sorely missed by so many… but we know that she will be with us always, and we will hold her spirit of love and kindness in our hearts and keep our family a little closer, knowing just how important family and friends are…

In addition to her cherished parents, JoEllen was preceded in death by her youngest sister, Penny Burns-Carns, in 2023.

Surviving are her children, her daughter and son-in-law, Morgan Omdal and Craig Fellion; her son and daughter-in-law, Del and Megan Omdal; her grandchildren, Robert, Annalise, and Magne; her siblings, Vic, Bobby, Hope, Gail, and Emily; her former husband, Del Omdal; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and extended family; and many dear friends.

Family and friends will gather on Saturday, February 10, 2024, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ, to celebrate this most special woman.

A life celebration service will follow the gathering beginning at 4:00 p.m. and to which all are welcome. As a tribute to JoEllen’s joyful persona, everyone is respectfully requested to wear blue to the gathering.

For those who are unable to attend in person, the service will be live-streamed beginning at 3:30 p.m. 

Interment will be private.

You are encouraged to visit JoEllen’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.

Memorial contributions may be made to a fund being created to benefit her beloved grandchildren’s education. Contributions may be made to the JoEllen Omdal Education Fund, and sent c/o Wright & Ford, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ 08822. Any and all contributions are greatly appreciated by the family.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”