Charles Burnette

Services for Charles W. Burnette, 94, of Tyler will be held Monday, October 5, 2009 at 10:30 AM at Stewart Family Funeral Home with Rev. Roy Thoene and Rev. Scott Wiley officiating. Burial will follow at 3:30 PM at Myrtle Cemetery in Ennis under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Burnette passed away on October 1, 2009 at Hospice of East Texas in Tyler. He was born August 15, 1915 in Ennis to the late Blaine and Lurlah Robinson Burnette. He graduated from Ennis High School. He then attended A&M College of Texas and graduated from their Texas Game Warden School as the valedictorian of his class. Mr. Burnette married Gussie Pearl Cato, the love of his life, on August 7, 1937. Mr. Burnette worked as a dragline operator for 22 years and served as an essential government worker during World War II. He later served as Constable of Red River County for three years. He began working for the Texas Game and Fish Commission in 1954 and in 1961, it became the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Mr. Burnette was promoted to the Tyler office where he served 47 counties and retired after 24 years of service. After retirement, he owned and operated Burnette Trailer Sales on Highway 155 for over 20 years. On August 3, 1981, he was appointed by the Commissioner’s Court as Justice of the Peace for Precinct 2, where he served until the end of 1982. Mr. Burnette served his community as a scout master for the Boy Scouts of America, past-president of the Lions Club in Clarksville, Texas, and past-president of the East Texas Horse Show Association and Tyler Saddle Club. He was a 32nd degree mason, where he was a member of the Detroit, Texas lodge and was a current member of the Bullard lodge. In addition to his parents, Mr. Burnette was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Gussie Burnette; son, Charles David Burnette; sister, Ruth Burnette Sayres; nephew Henry Sayres, Jr. and wife Sue. Charles is survived by his loving family including his great nieces, Jennifer Bane and husband Phil, and their daughters, Courtney and Whitney, all of Tyler and Suzy Cooley and daughter Emily of Tyler; cousins Bill Ballew and wife Shirley of Kansas City, MO, Loren Ballew, Jr. and wife Mickey of Clarksville, and Betty Wells and husband Walter of Ennis. Pallbearers will be Jerry Alexander, Phil Bane, Nolin Calicutt, Robert Epperson, Tom McCool, Billy Platt, Kenny Taylor and Ed Walker. Honorary pallbearers will be Texas Game Wardens, Bill Ballew, Loren Ballew, Jr., Warren Meaders, Bobby Moses, Platon Villegas and Walter Wells. Visitation is scheduled from 3:30 to 5:00 PM, Sunday, October 4, 2009 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy, Tyler, Texas 75703. Memorials in honor of Charles W. Burnette may be made to First Baptist Church-Gresham, 16844 County Road 165, Tyler, Texas 75703 or Grace Community School “Scholarship Fund”, 3001 University Blvd, Tyler, Texas 75701. For more information or to express condolences visit www.stewartfamilyfuneral.com

Charles Burnette

August 15, 1915 - October 1, 2009