Annette Francis Burns

Annette Francis Burns, 87, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 4, after a short illness.

She was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on September 30, 1938, to George McKoskey and Ruth (Houle) McKoskey. Annette was the third youngest of eight siblings. In her younger years, she enjoyed spending time with her brothers and sisters, often roller skating and ice skating together.

In 1959, Annette married the late Daniel Hether, and together they raised their three children - Angela, Brian, and Julie - in Madison, Wisconsin. These years were centered around raising a young family. Annette worked tirelessly to care for her children, a role she embraced with love and pride.

In 1977, Annette married the late Thomas Burns and moved to Queensbury, New York. The two shared many happy years together, spending time sailing on Lake George, Long Island Sound and the Caribbean. Over the years, Annette also spent time living in Westchester County before eventually settling in Saratoga Springs, where she established deep roots and truly made it her home.

For more than twenty years, Annette worked as an administrative assistant at General Electric, where she was known for her strong work ethic and organizational skills. After retiring, she was asked to return to General Electric to work part-time on a United Way program, helping to organize and support the program for several years before officially retiring.

Annette lived a full and active life. She enjoyed running, gardening, sewing, quilting, and playing cards, always keeping her hands and mind busy with projects she loved. Her love of card games began with Euchre and later grew into a passion for Bridge, which she played weekly with close friends. These gatherings brought her great joy and became a cherished part of her routine in her later years. Annette was also a lifelong fan of the Green Bay Packers and, after moving to New York, quickly became a New York Yankees fan as well.

She was blessed with seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, who were truly the loves of her life. She found great joy in watching them grow, supporting them in their pursuits, and cheering them on at sporting events and other milestones.

She is survived by her children, Angela Hether (Ray) and Julie Hether (Tom), and was predeceased by her son, Brian Hether. She is also survived by Brian’s wife, Jeanie.  She was a proud grandmother to Shelby Lisney, Chelsea Perkins (Aaron), Nicole Childs (Steve), Olivia Wakaluk (Alex), Bryce Hether (Lindsay), and Kendal Hether, and was predeceased by her granddaughter, Janelle Lisney.  She was also blessed with ten great-grandchildren: Joshua, Madyson, Taylor, Heidi, Giuliana, Joey, William, Daniel, Beckett, and Nora.  She is survived by her siblings, Joanne Schulze (the late Garly) and Jerome McKoskey (Mary). In addition to her son and granddaughter, she was predeceased by her siblings Virginia Kiss (Larry), Mary Espenes (Ken), Richard McKoskey (Audrey), Laurel Anderson, George “Bud” McKoskey.

Until the very end, Annette carried herself with a quiet strength and kindness that will be cherished by all who knew her. She leaves behind a lifetime of memories and a legacy of love that will continue to live on through her family.

Family and friends are invited to gather and pay their respects from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Compassionate Funeral Care, 402 Maple Ave., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. A funeral service will follow at 12:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

A graveside service will follow at Greenridge Cemetery, 17 Green Ridge Pl, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.compassionatefuneralcare.com

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