Gerald Burnett

Gerald Burnett

September 24, 1937 ~ September 2, 2014

My name is Gerald Burnett, but I liked to be called Jerry. I was born in Ogden on September 24, 1937 to my Mother, Mary and my Father, Edward. I was born in a time period that was tough, but life was made easy with the love I found from my family. My brothers, Budd and Ron and my sisters, Barbra, Bonnie, Mary Lee, Judy and JoLynn filled my youth full of adventure and caring. We wove a bond that will last an eternity.  I enjoyed the life I had as a young boy playing sports and I really enjoyed and took pride in the church softball teams I played on.   As I grew older, I found myself surrounded by my steadfast Burnett clan of brothers and sisters, with some new additions. When I was 10 my sister Barbra married Lamont Ekstrom, who quickly became a brother to me. Mont always kidded me about being protective of my baseball glove and bat.  A few years later, my sister Bonnie married Edward Burton. Ed was a wonderful person who was full of life and always laughing. Later on my sister Mary Lee married Lynn McKee.  Lynn is a special and kind person who sheds light into everyone he meets. Lynn was joined by Brent Argyle, who was lucky enough to wed my sister Judy.

I graduated from Weber High School in 1955 and made many friends there. I was able to make some extra money during the summers caddying at the Ogden Country Club. It was a great experience. I was able to win the Club Caddy Championship with golf clubs borrowed from a very caring member I caddied for.  In 1956 I joined the United States Army and was assigned to the Artillery Corps, where I served very proudly for two years.   I married Bertie Robbins in 1959 and experienced a great youthful love. We won a new car in a Meadow Gold nationwide jingle contest, a 1961 Pontiac.  As sometimes happens, Bertie and I found different paths to follow and we moved on with our lives.

In 1965 a special moment happened when I met and married DeAnn Thomas Price. I found happiness with DeAnn and her children Julie, Dianne and Ron. I always thought of DeAnn’s kids as my own. In 1966 my son Troy was born. A person who I showed love to in many ways. My Father passed away in 1966 and I always regretted that he never got to know my son. Although DeAnn and I chose to divorce, our common bond was the love for our son. DeAnn and I would be at every one of Troy’s little league baseball and football games, watching with great adulation.  I stayed very close with DeAnn until her death in 1985.

My Son married Michelle Malan and brought the two brightest points of light to my life, my Grandson Ryan and my Granddaughter Megan. It was then that I took on my most revered title of “Papa”. I was able to share with these two golden angels our big trips to exotic places and routine trips to the Union Station with my buddy Ryan. Every birthday dinner and Christmas morning I shared with Megan and Ryan will forever be in my heart.

Although my life had sometimes thrown challenges my way, I could always depend on my close friends and family. My Mother was the strongest point in my life. She, like some of us in the Burnett clan, would sometimes be looked upon as stubborn or even ornery. I never saw it and I can’t remember being ornery. Well, maybe a little. My mother passed away in 2006. She worked hard all her life for her children and I never will forget that.

In 1966 I was very fortunate to start work at the Ogden City Police Department. I met and worked with a very special cut of individuals. In the most trying times and the most heart wrenching circumstances, I never found myself lacking in friendship or support. I made so many lifelong friends there that I cannot name them all. I know they know how I feel about them, how important they are to me and the impact they had on my life. I retired after 23 years of service with the police department. Through the Pig Bowls, the late nights, the bar stools, the big cases and the small ones, I was with friends.  It was a time that will be with me always.

Shortly after I retired, I met a person who was to become a close friend, mentor and source of strength; Jim Kier. Jim gave me the opportunity to start my own business, B.R.B., and he provided mentorship to make it a success. Through my relationship with Jim, I came to know his wife, Norma, and the Kier family. They were so kind and caring to me. The Kier family and the employees of the Kier Corporation became my second family. They nurtured and help me in my personal life and in my business life. I feel indebted to them.  Jim was a truly kind man with a quite strength. I watch as my friend fought cancer and admired his will and devotion to his family. I lost my friend in 2005.

In the past several years I have taken the lesson I learned from Jim and applied it to my own fight with cancer. I had the full support of the Burnett clan to help me. My sister Bonnie, my brother Ron would come and stay with me. I would be elated with the phone calls from my brother Bud in Alaska and worried about the news of my sister Judy’s own battle with cancer. I shared nights with my big sis Barbra and her husband Mont and my little sis Mary Lee and her husband Lynn. Together with my son, his wife Michelle, Ryan and Megan, we had the time to deepen our devotion to one another. We had good days and bad, but we always had each other. I was able to tell Troy how proud of him I was and listen to stories about my sisters that I never heard before. I appreciated my visits with my friend Tracy and her yummy jam and I had two nurses, Nicole and Brittany, who helped care for me. They’re good and caring people. My journey in this life ended on September 2, 2014. My little sister Judy followed me later that day. I saved her a seat and we will join the Burnett clan at our new destination. I have had a full and wonderful life that has been enriched by those I have been fortunate enough to have in it. I could not have asked for anything more.

I would like my family and friends to come see me on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Boulevard. We will then move to the Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Boulevard, at 11 a.m. for my Graveside Service.