Leslie A "Les" Burdette, 93, of Daytona Beach, passed away peacefully on October19, at the Hospice Care Center in Ormond Beach, surrounded by his family. He was born on May 14, 1922 in Heizer, WV to Selva and Agnes Burdette. He grew up in Nitro, WV, graduating from Nitro High Scool.
Les then attended Stonewall Jackson Trade School, and also, Kanawha Flying School. He held a commercial pilot's license, and worked part time, teaching both land and sea planes.

In 1946 he married Betty Gabbert. They relocated to Philadelphia in 1949, when American Viscose Corp, where he was working in the Mechanical Development Dept. in Nitro, integrated with their Engineering Center in Philadelphia. He later became a design supervisor when Viscose and Sun Oil merged to become Avisun, which was located in New Castle, Delaware.

In 1970, after Avisun was acquired by Amoco Oil, they moved to Hazlehurst, GA, where Les became a Project Engineer with the newly formed Amoco Fabrics and Fibers Corp. He then worked for the company as Chief Plant Engineer in Nashville, GA, and Division Engineer in Andalusia, AL. He later returned to Hazlehurst as Director of Engineering until his retirement.

They moved Daytona Beach in 1984, where Les stayed busy for many years. He was an active member of Central Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon, and was chairman of the camp committee for 18 years.
His hobbies included many horticultural projects. He propagated plants that he gave to people throughout the years. While living in Florida, he enjoyed growing orchids, citrus, avocados, and Staghorn Ferns, and kept a beautiful yard up to the time of his passing. He also had enjoyed fishing in the intracoastal in his canoe, which he rowed, until his family convinced him that he needed a trolling motor. He was always eager to help people with various projects, and never slowed down, even at 93.

He enjoyed watching sports, mainly Major League Baseball, especially when his brother Lew, MVP of the 1957 World Series, pitched for the Milwaukee Braves.

He also enjoyed bike riding, especially riding and showing his restored 1883 High Wheel Bicycle.

He is predeceased by his parents, wife, Betty, brothers, Gene and Lew Burdette, and sister, Fay Burdette Williams.

He is survived by his daughter Julie Burdette Blais and son in law, Mark Dollard Blais, Daytona Beach, Granddaughters, Shelly Blais Olsen, Daytona Beach, and Christa Blais, Fairmont WV, several great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of life Service will be on Saturday, October 24th, 2015, at 11:00 A.M. at Central Baptist Church, 152 Fairview Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL., with Rev. Sonny Gallman officiating. The family will receive friends at Lohman Funeral Home Ormond, 733 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach on Friday evening between the hours of 5 and 7 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to be made to Central Baptist Church.
Condolences may be shared with the family at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com