Jennifer L (Hartzell) Burns

Jennifer L (Hartzell) Burns, 40, of Greensburg, passed away on Monday September 8, 2025. Born on November 11, 1984, Jena brought joy, laughter, love and light to all who knew her. Always ready to lend an ear or offer wanted advice she loved connecting with people and hearing their stories. She had an intense passion for travel, especially by motorcycle with her “red, white, and blue crew”. Her travels took her all over the US but the beaches of Florida always held a special place in her heart. Following a childhood and adolescence of softball and baseball games in local recreation leagues Jena joined the band as a member of the color guard. After graduating from Hempfield Area High School in 2003 she pursued forensic science at Clarion University. When she completed her studies at Clarion Jena moved to New Jersey before returning to her roots in Greensburg, PA. Throughout her career Jena held a few positions where she excelled and made lifelong friends. Her greatest passion and the work that fueled her soul was being a mother. Jena loved her boys with every atom of her being. She was an avid volunteer for their schools and activities, always cheering them on. When she spoke of her children she lit up with her love for them. She filled her home with their artwork, their photos, mementos of their adventures, notes from them and memories of their milestones. Jena was an adept gardener filling her home and yard with blooms and greenery. She had a great love for creating art, especially photography, and used her own work to decorate throughout her home. Jena is survived by her children Gage and Grayson Burns of Greensburg, PA, and the father of her children Chad Burns; her parents, Joanne L. Hartzell and George L. Hartzell Sr. of Youngwood, PA; siblings Holly Heller of Pittsburgh, PA, Heather Hartzell (Corey Bigley) of Youngstown, PA, George L Hartzell Jr (Cyndi) of Cedar Hill, TN, Sarah Hartzell-Teacher (Shaun Teacher) of New Stanton, PA, Joseph Hartzell (Miranda) of West Mansfield, OH; nieces and nephews Jared and Olivia Heller, Samantha and Ashlie Singer, Lacey Hartzell and Geonni Teacher, Gabriel and Alaina Hartzell; her aunts M. Christine Byrne and Joanne Finnegan; cousin Arabella Byrne. She was preceded in death by her grandparents Margaret (Hoffmann) Byrne, John C. Byrne Jr., Elizabeth (Weiss) Hartzell, and Richard Hartzell; her brother Robert “Spanky” Hartzell; brother-in-law Norman A. Singer II, aunt JoAnn Byrne and uncle Walter Finnegan. On September 8, 2025 Jena lost her decades long battle with her mental health. Losing her big brother in 2020 devastated her. Additional challenges in the past five years caused her to continue spiraling into the darkness. Until she stopped believing. Jena stopped believing she was loved; and she was loved, so very very loved. She stopped believing her light and her beautiful amazing spirit were enough against the dark of her mental illness. Jena stopped believing her light was worth shining in the dark and she put it out. If you or a loved one are struggling in the dark please remember you are loved. Don’t put your light out. Call the Westmoreland County Mobile Crisis Unit 1-800-836-6010 they will help. Do it for you. If you’re not strong enough right now to do it for you please do it to honor our Jena whose light we will forever miss. Visitation for Jena will be held on  Friday, September 12, from 2-4 & 6-8 PM, in the C. Richard McCauley Funeral Home Inc.. Her funeral mass will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 11 AM in Holy Cross Church, 711 Depot St. Youngwood.

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