Joseph Edward Burroughs

December 30, 1945 – April 5, 2020

Joseph (Joe) E. Burroughs II, age 74, passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2020. Joe was born in Flushing, New York to Joe Edward Burroughs and Rachel Burroughs on December 30, 1945. In 1975 he married Josephine Patricia (Patsy) Brewster and they raised three children together. They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary on February 23, 2020. He was a state employee in New York at Queens College. They moved from New York to Newport, Rhode Island in 1976, where Joe worked for many years with HUD. He retired from HUD and they moved to Cary, North Carolina in 1989. In N.C. Joe first worked as a maintenance technician for Wake County Public Schools, then as a field technician for Laser Recharge until 2009.

Joe and Josephine loved traveling, and traveled to many countries including Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Canada and several U.S. states, etc. Family was extremely important to Joe, and he especially enjoyed making time for all of his grandchildren by visiting them or having them as guests. Joe was a generous and loving person and it was evident in every moment he spent with his family and friends, and as a result, he was beloved and endured life-long friendships.

Joe is survived by his wife Josephine Burroughs; his mother Rachel Burroughs; his daughters Sharon Patrick-Wilson (John Wilson), and Cherryllana King (Andre King), and his son Joe Burroughs III. He was admired and adored by his ten grandchildren, Kurt King, Joe Burroughs IV, Kiara Burroughs, Savannah Burroughs, Jada Browning, Julian Wilson, Travis Burroughs, Alexis Browning, Jovon Burroughs and Kyle Burroughs. He is survived by his siblings, Diane Burroughs Newell, Jerald Burroughs, Clarence Fulton, Eleanor Fulton-Coley (Roger Coley) and Tyrone Burroughs (Shanna Burroughs). He is also survived by many in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.

A viewing will be held on Friday, April 10, 2020, 11 am – 12:45 pm at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 Southeast Maynard Road, Cary, N.C. Due to COVID-19 mandates, groups of 10 people or less, will be admitted at a time. This will be followed by a private prayer service due to the restrictions in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Relatives and friends will be invited to attend a memorial service and a celebration of Joe’s life at a date and a place to be determined following the lifting of restrictions.