- April 19, 2026
The Florida Celebration of Life for Joe Burbrink will be held at Finn’s Beachside Pub in Flagler Beach on Monday, April 20, at 4 p.m.
Joe Burbrink, a Flagler Palm Coast High School marine science teacher for 25 years, died on April 15 of pancreatic cancer, just three weeks after his diagnosis. He was 49.
In a letter informing faculty and staff of Burbrink’s death, FPC Principal Bobby Bossardet wrote: “I am heartbroken to share that Joe Burbrink has passed away. It’s hard to put into words what Joe has meant to this school and to all of us. For more than 25 years, he gave everything he had to FPC. He built relationships, supported students, and showed up every single day with a level of care and commitment that is rare.”
Fellow science teacher Kelly Rosa said Burbrink was known to write personalized Christmas cards to each of his students. “He easily had 150-plus students per year,” she said.
FPC junior Maile Brouse, one of Burbrink’s students this year, was surprised to receive the handwritten card just before winter break.
“That meant a lot to me,” she said. “He wrote Christmas cards to all of his students in all of his classes. He definitely made students feel very important. We felt we mattered in his classroom. There was never a time he wasn’t greeting us at the door with a smile. He was never in a bad mood or upset with anyone.”
Bossardet said Burbrink had no symptoms until experiencing a stomach ache three weeks before he died. He decided to get it checked out at the school district’s clinic.
“They advised him to get more testing. And then they found a spot,” Bossardet said. “It was crazy. Everything happened so quick. You really didn't expect it when I first talked to him.”
Days after hearing the news of his death, the FPC community was still in shock.
“It’s crazy how quick things can happen,” FPC science teacher Brooklyn Jimeson said.
Jimeson, now in her fourth year at the school, taught marine science her two years at FPC. She said Burbrink was one of the first people she met at the school.
“He was just a super, good guy, very kind and genuine,” Jimeson said. “He cared about everyone around him. He was very easy going. Everyone got along with him. FPC is very much a family, so you definitely feel that grief.”
Burbrink is from Plymouth, Indiana, and graduated from Plymouth High in 1995. He was surrounded in his final days at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville by his Plymouth High friends and his two cousins, who were like siblings to him, Jaime Buffington Billings and Jimmy Billings. Burbrink’s parents died in 2013 and 2020.
Burbrink was a big Chicago Cubs fan and an avid vinyl record collector. His favorite musicians were The Beatles and Bob Dylan.
Less than a week before Burbrink died, Bossardet asked Joe if it would be OK to inform his students about his diagnosis.
“He's like, ‘I think they need to know that I've been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,’” Bossardet said.
On Tuesday, April 14, Bossardet and Guidance Chair Phil DeAugustino went to each of Burbrink’s classes and told the students they were delivering a card to Burbrink and the students could write personal messages to him on Post-it notes that they would affix to the card. As it turned out, they needed a poster board to fit the dozens of heart-felt notes the students wrote.
“I just told him to get well soon and we’ll be keeping him in our prayers,” Brouse said.
Bossardet was sitting alone in his office finishing up some work that afternoon when he received a call from Burbrink’s high school friend, Lisa Poczik, a fellow “95er.”
“She said, ‘I just want to let you know his organs are starting to shut down. If you wanted to come visit, now would be the time.’”
After he hung up, he started reading the Post-it notes.
“That’s what tore me up,” he said. “I was holding strong till I read those letters. But, you know, you don't realize the impact these teachers make on kids, and then you sit there and you read these individual letters. I mean, he definitely left a legacy here.”
Burbrink died the next day at 10:47 a.m.
The card and all the Post-it notes were given to his friends and family.
“They told us the family and friends received the notes and they were super grateful,” Brouse said. “It’s helping them get through this hard time.”
In his email to the faculty and staff, Bossardet wrote, “So many of us have our own stories about Joe. The way he connected with students, the way he supported those around him, and the pride he had in being part of this community. FPC wasn’t just where he worked, it was where he poured his heart into every single day.”
Jimeson said Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore had a meeting with FPC staff.
“Ms. Moore said it best,” said Jimeson. “She said, ‘Grief is just proof of the love that you have for people.’”
