LTC John R. “Jack” Burden Sr.
"Make Quality a Habit, Lead by Example, and Be Considerate"
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LTC served in the armed forces. We honor that service here.
Lieutenant Colonel Jack Burden, died at the age of 84 on February 25, 2023 surrounded by the love of his family, having fought his last battle and taken his last flight. He waged a courageous battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma for 24 years. Originally from Wapakoneta, Ohio, he was born on June 6, 1938 to Venerd and Grace Burden. He is a 1960 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he met his wife of 62 years, Jean Heelan Burden.
During his 20 years of service, Jack served two tours in Viet Nam as an Army Aviator and is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and the Naval Test Pilot School. Among his many assignments while on active duty, he served as an experimental test pilot for the Army at Edwards Air Force Base, California. His final troop assignment was as Commander of the 4th Squadron, 7th Air Cavalry in Korea. His last tour of duty was in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.
Lieutenant Colonel Burden retired as a Master Army Aviator with awards including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Air Medal with 37 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Following his retirement from the military in 1980, he held several positions with civilian contractors. He retired in 2008 from DCS Corporation, his last civilian employment. After moving to Lovettsville, Virginia in 2008, Jack served on the Lovettsville Planning Commission and then on the Town Council until 2014.
During the months of the Pandemic in 2020, Jack finished writing his book “Stories of My Life”, and it was published in 2021. The book is written as a memoir and will be his legacy for many generations of his family. Throughout his life he always strove to live up to his personal goals to “Make Quality a Habit, Lead by Example, and Be Considerate”.
Jack was very devoted to his family and friends and took great pride in all their accomplishments. Jack is survived by his wife, Jean, and their children Ellen Falkenstein and her husband, Bob; John Burden, Jr.; Molly Smith and her husband Rick; and grandchildren Kiley Falkenstein (Dillion Wilcox), Ean Falkenstein (Mackinzie); Laura Burden Wills (Jared), John III, Joseph, Daniel Burden and their mother Carrie Marie; and Jeanne Smith Dunn (Joey), Matthew, Timothy, Sarah, Patrick, Veronica, Kelly, and William Smith; and also Maddy Curtis Vencil (Nate) and Grace Figueroa (Jesus) with whom he enjoyed the role of Honorary Grandparent in their lives. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren; Aubree Michele Wilcox, Jaxtyn Ray Falkenstein, Camryn Grace Dunn, Adlenia Faye Figueroa, Barbara Jean Vencil, Elenora (Nora) Taylor Dunn, and Ellyana Dee Falkenstein. Jack is survived by two sisters Connie Russell (John) and Mary Lynne Mouser; as well as his “in law” siblings Jack Heelan (Jackie), Peter Heelan (Bertha), Jim Heelan (Deidre), Sandy Heelan, Judy Burden, and many nieces and nephews who always enjoyed visiting with Uncle Jack, as well as many friends – old and new.
He was pre-deceased by his parents, Venerd Alfred Burden and Grace Rose Burden, his brother Fred, and his brothers-in-law Thomas Heelan and William Mouser. He was also pre-deceased by his in-laws, Gertrude and Jack Heelan, who loved him as a son.
There will be a visitation at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Purcellville, VA on March 3, 2023 from 2 pm to 4 pm and 6 to 8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Frances de Sales Catholic Church, Purcellville, Virginia, at 11 am on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
He will be buried at Lovettsville Union Cemetery on Saturday, March 4, 2023 with Military Honors. Arrangements are under the direction of Hall Funeral Home of Purcellville, Virginia.
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