Tom Giffen's father-in-law dies

Mr. Burgett is the father-in-law of former BJ sports editor Tom Giffen. Donald K. Burgett

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. 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