Ben E. Burdette, 86, passed away on Monday, January 11 at Greenfield Senior Living in Williamsburg from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
Ben is survived by his loved and loving family – wife Pat; daughter Kathy Burdette and husband John Beyer of Newport News; son Matt and wife Lara Burdette and grandchildren Lilah and Ryan Burdette of Houston, Texas along with many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents, Jonye T. Morrison and Ben R. Burdette; brother Bud and sisters Evelyn, Marjorie, Vivian and Betty.
Ben was born and raised in Texas. He attended North Texas State College, served 6 years in the U.S. Navy and graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in electrical engineering.
He began his 35-year career with IBM in 1958 as a customer engineer in Sacramento, Calif., followed by several years in Hawaii and Guam and a year in Saigon, Vietnam. After marriage to Pat in 1967 and a two-year assignment in Tokyo, his career took them to live in California, Idaho, Utah, Venezuela and Hong Kong. The family returned to live in Ridgefield, Conn. as Ben worked in offices in the New York area, concluding his career at IBM headquarters in Armonk, N.Y. Ever an adventurer, along the way he visited 50 countries, climbed Mt. Fuji and earned a private pilot’s license.
Moving to Williamsburg in 1994, Ben enjoyed his retirement, fixing, tinkering and tending to the house, yard and cat and playing golf.
Our family would like to thank the staffs of both the Williamsburg United Methodist Church Respite Care program and Greenfield Senior Living, Williamsburg for their loving and excellent care over the past several years.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Respite Care Program, Williamsburg United Methodist Church, 500 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185 or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 213 McLaws Circle, Williamsburg, VA 23185.
A visitation will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday, January 18, 2016, followed by a Memorial Service at 2:00pm at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Road in Williamsburg.
Inurnment will take place at Cedar Grove Cemetery Memorial Garden at 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 19, 2016.
Please leave online condolences for the family at Nelsen Funeral Home.
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