Jessie Mae Burden

Obituary — Jessie Mae Burden

Jessie Mae Burden, 86, passed away peacefully on March 17, 2026, at 1:44 p.m., leaving behind a legacy of grace, strength, advocacy, and enduring love. Born in Selma, Alabama, she made Riverside, California her home beginning in 1959, where she built a life rooted in family, faith, and quiet excellence.

Jessie Mae was elegance personified—classy, poised, and effortlessly stylish. A natural trendsetter, she could wear anything beautifully. She was witty, intelligent, personable, and carried a presence that made others feel both seen and uplifted. She loved music and could recall the words to songs spanning decades, often filling spaces with warmth through her voice and spirit.

She found joy in both creativity and care—reading, crossword puzzles, and sketching various cartoon characters. She had an eye for design, decorating homes and churches with artistry and intention. Her hands nurtured life in many forms—tending apple, lemon, and grapefruit trees, raising birds, and building aviaries. She was always creating, always cultivating, always giving.

Her work ethic began early. At just 13 years old in Selma, she earned her first dollar dispensing salt at Morton Salt—a story she carried with pride. After moving to Riverside, she worked in private homes, including for attorney and activist Art Littleworth and his family, whose presence left a lasting impression on her and her children. She later pursued nursing studies, worked at the University of California Riverside, and built a career in the aerospace industry, where she became a respected and trusted advocate for her peers. Even in retirement, her entrepreneurial spirit remained active.

Jessie Mae was a woman of deep faith. She worshipped at Riverside Faith Temple Ministries and later at Wind of the Spirit. Her generosity was quiet but constant—donating clothing, giving her time to churches and community, and encouraging young people wherever she encountered them. She instilled in her children and grandchildren a love of books, learning, and perseverance.

She shared a lifelong bond with Edd Burden Jr., whom she met at the age of 13 in Selma, Alabama. Their connection began in youth and grew into a family and legacy that spans generations.

In her later years, Jessie Mae faced Alzheimer’s dementia with remarkable dignity. Even as the disease progressed, her awareness, insight, and spirit remained present in profound ways. She spoke openly about what she was experiencing, recognizing a deeper disconnect—“no one speaks to me… there is no communication”—and with clarity, she gave voice to the often-unseen reality of those living with memory-related conditions. She saw, she heard, and she understood.

On one evening shortly before her passing, while surrounded by love and care, Jessie Mae was fully present—awake, alert, wearing her reading glasses—and spoke with clarity, depth, and spiritual awareness. She reflected on energy, spirit, and human connection:

“You can attract people, but you can also repel them. You’re like a mirror.”

She then expressed deep gratitude and love, sharing that she felt safe, at peace, and thankful for the presence and care she was receiving. In a moment of profound clarity, she offered words of encouragement, strength, and affirmation—reminding her daughter to stand firm, to know who she is, and to continue walking in her purpose with confidence and faith.

That moment—clear, loving, and divinely timed—stands as a mother’s final affirmation: she saw her daughter, she knew her, and she blessed her.

Jessie Mae was preceded in death by an infant son, and her siblings Frank, Ann, Isaac, Pearl, a baby sister, Roosevelt, Ari, and Lee.

She is survived by her children Tracy, Terry, and Edward Todd; her grandchildren Jessica, Jason, Anisha Blair, Brittney, Kaci, Aaron, and Valentina; her great-grandchildren Aaron, Isaiah, Aidan, Jasmine, Olive, Khari, Kenzo, and Kamari; her younger brother James; her former husband Edd Burden Jr.; a host of nieces and nephews; and a family whose lives will forever reflect her love, strength, and spirit.

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