James Burgess

James D. "Jim" Burgess, age 73, of Greenville, passed away unexpectedly on Friday evening, September 13, 2013 at his home after suffering an apparent heart attack. The son of Dale & June Marie (McKay), he was born on February 14, 1940 in Greenville. Jim grew up in Greenville and Florida and graduated high school in Zephyrhills in 1959. A veteran of the Vietnam war, he served with the U.S. Navy and was a member of the Lester J. Sitts Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5065 in Sheridan and had been a member of the Ray I. Booth American Legion Post 101 in Greenville. On September 29, 1964, in Sunfield, he married Linda Bradley and together they enjoyed nearly 49 years of marriage. Jim retired from the former Electrolux Home Products where he worked in the press room. In retirement he owned and operated Burgess Construction & Maintenance, as well as dealing in antiques and collectibles. Most recently he began working as a school crossing guard at Baldwin Heights and Walnut Hills elementary schools... a job he truly enjoyed. While Jim enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, and his pets, his greatest joy was found in time spent with his children and grandchildren and he delighted in cheering on his grandkids at their sporting events. He was preceded in death by his parents; his grandmother, Beryl Nielsen; his step-father, Nathan R. "Bud" Coleman; a brother, Kenneth Burgess; and a sister, Sharon Burgess. Surviving are his wife, Linda Burgess of Greenville; their children, Tammy & Jeff Johnson of Sheridan, Teresa & Dennis Anderson of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Tracy Sanders & Pat Elderkin, and Toni & Terry Dowdell, all of Greenville; ten grandchildren, Doctor Johnson, Morgan Johnson, Nicole & Chris Vickrey, Matthew Anderson, Steven Anderson, Ashley & John Jackson, Prescott Ingraham, Darian Newman, Aidan Dowdell, and Alexander Dowdell; five great grandchildren with the sixth on the way; three brothers, Bob & Elizabeth Johnson of Greenville, Bill & Becky Coleman of Zephyrhills, Florida, and Rick & Brenda Coleman of Ridge Manor, Florida; a sister, Gloria & Larry Simmons of Greenville; siblings-in-law, Jim Bradley and Harold Bradley, both of Haines City, Florida, Dorothy Barber of Greenville, and Fay Bradley of Gowen; two aunts, Joyce Coleman of Lansing, Dawn "Lucy" Coleman of Stanton, and Jeannette & Charles Strouse of Clare; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James Burgess, please visit our flower store.