Major Harry P. Burchett U.S. Army Ret. passed away peacefully in Daytona Beach Florida after an illness of several months on July 5 2008. He was 89.
Born on May 29 1919 after graduating from high school in Boise Idaho he enlisted in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A photogrammetric engineer he rose quickly through the ranks in North Africa during World War II. After W.W. II he served in Hawaii and was promoted to Captain leading the Army mission in Haiti from 1953 to 1955 and assisted the Red Cross with rescue and supply efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Hazel. He was awarded the Order of Merit by the Haitian government.
Retiring as a Major from the Army in 1957 he took a position with Aero Service Corporation the oldest mapmaking company in the world first as Assistant to the Vice President for Marketing and later as Assistant General Manager. He dealt with government Ministries of Trade and Development and traveled extensively in the Middle East Southeast Asia Australia Europe Egypt and other African nations. He joined the U.S. Civil Service in 1964 serving at the Army Map Service Defense Mapping Agency and at the time of his retirement from Civil Service in 1974 was Foreign Relations Officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency. He enjoyed a passion for music art and photography bringing the history culture and food of the places he traveled home to share with family and friends. He enjoyed working on automobiles wood working projects gardening boating and fishing. He was an avid and talented golfer. He lived for several years in St. Michaels Maryland and for the last twenty-one years in the Indigo Lakes community in Daytona Beach Florida.
Preceded in death by his parents Harry E. and Henrietta B. Burchett of Salt Lake City Utah his first wife Ruth and a son Jeffrey he is survived by his brother Robert L. Burchett of Brigham City Utah his wife Golda M."Mimi" Burchett his daughters Judith B. Reeside and her husband Arthur Linda B. Blythe and her husband Nathan and son Lawrence M. Burchett; grandchildren Alison L. Behrens Marcy L. Williams and her husband Scott Eliza E. Dickson and Robert J. Burchett; great-grandchildren Emily Carter and Campbell Williams and James Behrens and stepsons Charles L. and Ronald K. Ward.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday July 11 2008 at Lohman Funeral Home 733 W. Granada Blvd. Ormond Beach Florida. Following the service a reception will be held at the Indigo Lakes Golf Club. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Harry P. and Ruth E. Burchett Scholarship Fund at Chesapeake College P. O. Box 8 Wye Mills MD 21679 or a charity of your choice. Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond.