TALLMADGE -- Donald K
"Pop" Burgett, 92, died Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at his long-time
Tallmadge home, where he had resided for 59 years.
Mr. Burgett retired in 1984 from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company where he
was a tire design and research engineer, his career at Goodyear having
spanned 42 years.
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Mr. Burgett |
Born in Alliance, Ohio, May 23, 1920, he was the second oldest of six
children born to Viola Keller and Loren Burgett. He moved to Akron in 1941
and began his career at Goodyear 1942. He and his family moved to Tallmadge
in 1954.
He was graduated from Mount Union College in Alliance in 1941 where he was
Salutatorian of his class, an honors scholar in English, math and physics; he
did post-graduate engineering work at the University of Akron. Throughout his
life, he continued his education through course work in engineering, design
and architecture at Kent State University.
Mr. Burgett was a member of the Emanuel United Church of Christ and served
that church in a number of positions for many years. And he is the oldest
volunteer on record for Good Neighbors Akron, where he volunteered his time
almost until his death.
Mr. Burgett, known as "Pop" throughout his family, had a passion
for his family, supporting his children and grandchildren's endeavors, and
believed that no one was too old to learn and proved it by continuing his
personal education through course work and reading into his 90s. Throughout
his life he exhibited a natural inquisitiveness about the world around him,
curiosity about how machines, appliances, computers worked. At work, he was
referred to as Goodyear's first human computer. At home, he was forever
repairing neighbors' appliances and tinkering in his basement workshop; he
relished any challenge to solve problems quickly and efficiently, to make
things work better.
In 1947, he married the late Ivalynn Slusher, with whom he celebrated 43
years of marriage until her passing in 1990. Together they raised four
children, Ellen (Tom) Giffen, Judy (Ron) Sense, Don Burgett, and Nancy (Rick)
Patterson, all of whom honor his memory today.
Mr. Burgett was preceded in death by his parents, Viola and Loren, his wife
Ivalynn, brother, Kenneth Burgett and sisters, Lucille Burgett, Esther Lewis
and Ruth Ann Mohr.
He is survived by his four children; brother, Lawrence (Ruth) Burgett of
Wytheville, Va.; his grandchildren, Matthew Burgett, McKenzie Burgett, Morgan
Burgett, McHughson Chambers, Kristin Maynard, Kurt Mears, Craig Mears,
Margaret Giffen, Robert Giffen, Vicky Luckring, Richard Sense; and ten
great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest
Ave., (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle) on Sunday, March 10, 2013 from 2 to
5 pm. A Celebration of Life service for Mr. Burgett will be held following
the Sunday visitation, at 5 p.m. at the funeral home. A graveside interment
service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Tallmadge Cemetery at the gazebo. Son-in-law
Tom Giffen will officiate the services.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Roy Hobbs
Foundation DKB Memorial Fund (RH Foundation, 2048 Akron Peninsula Rd., Akron,
Ohio 44313), the fund being used to support Emanuel UCC, Good Neighbors Akron
and the Depression & Bi-Polar Support Alliance.
330-633-3350
Published in Akron Beacon Journal on March 9, 2013
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