Roll Call Tribute
John Burttschell '50 November 25, 2019 9:45 AM updated: November 25, 2019 9:49 AM
Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home - Giddings obituary
3950 East Austin St.
Giddings, TX 78942
Telephone: (979) 542-3113
Fax: (979) 542-4744
Email: phillipsluckey@yahoo.com
Website: https://www.phillipsandluckey.com/
John Howard Burttschell
December 17, 1928 - November 16, 2019
Memorial services for John Burttschell, 90, of Austin, Texas, will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 30, 2019 at Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings. Following the service, military honors will be provided by the Giddings American Legion York Post 276.
John H. Burttschell advanced throttles to max power and made his final takeoff into the wild blue yonder on November 16, 2019 at 0555. He is now flying high in the sky.
John was born in Dime Box, Texas on December 17, 1928, the son of Elder and Mamie Burttschell, the oldest of their eight children. Through his high school years, he helped his father by hauling ice, beer, soda water, and ice cream from Giddings to cafes and merchants in Dime Box. He also helped with his father with ranching. John attended Dime Box public schools and graduated from Dime Box High School in 1946. He then attended Texas A&M, graduating in 1951 with a degree in civil engineering and also received his 2nd Lieutenant commission in the United States Air Force. With the Korean War in progress, John was called to active duty twelve days after graduation. The first nineteen months of active duty he was stationed at Carswell AFB, Texas, Hondo Air Base, Texas, Goodfellow AFB and Pinecastle AFB, Florida where he received his wings as a pilot in the USAF. After further training at Nellis AFB, Nevada, he was sent to K-47, Chunchon, Korea where he served from May 1953 to April 1954. During the last few months of the Korean War, John flew 20 combat missions and served as a forward air controller. John was stationed at Otis AFB, MA upon returning from Korea. Then Truax Field Madison, Wisconsin which included TDY to Gary AFB, Texas for helicopter training. John was honorably discharged from the Air Force active duty in December 1955. In February 1956, John started two careers, one in engineering and he continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve/Air National Guard. John's military career continued for ten more years at Ellington AFB, TX where he flew C45, C46 and C119 aircraft, then three more years at Barksdale AFB, LA to fly C124s. John then transferred to the Mississippi Air National Guard, Jackson, MS in 1969 where he flew C130s, then spending his last two and a half years of military duty as commander of the Civil Engineering Squadron. John retired in July 1979 at the rank of Lt. Colonel. After retirement from the military, he worked for two gas companies in Houston for thirteen years. He moved to New Orleans and served with the Corps of Engineers for three years and transferred to Vicksburg, MS where he worked for twenty-one years until his retirement in December 1993. John was active in several service clubs and belonged to several engineering organizations. He was active in church work while in Mississippi. John was very fond of his association with his in-laws, the Waller families of Mississippi.
And now as John fly’s high in the wild blue yonder he is singing words of that old familiar song, "In heaven there is no beer, that's why we drink it here, and when I'm gone from here, my friends will be drinking all the beer."
John in preceded in death by his parents, Elder and Mamie Burttshell; three wives, Stella McLaurin Jones, Mildred “Millie” Waller, and Helen Duckworth; sister, June Leite, and brother, Bobby Burttschell.
He is survived by his daughter, Brigitte & Frank Payne of San Marcos; four stepchildren, Phillip & Denise Wade of Madison, MS, Myra & Herb Hammond of Dallas, Leslyn & Greg Ellston of St. Louis, MO, and Kala & John Horecky of Madison, MS; twelve step grandchildren; sisters, Betty Brinkman of Deanville, Bernell Markert of Austin, Jean Bay of Deanville, and Kerry Ondrasek of Caldwell; one brother, Joe Burttschell of San Antonio, and many nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.
Memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
Memorial Service
NOV 30. 11:00 AM (CST)
Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home - Giddings
3950 East Austin St.
Giddings, TX, 78942
phillipsluckey@yahoo.com
https://www.phillipsandluckey.com/
3950 East Austin St.
Giddings, TX 78942
Telephone: (979) 542-3113
Fax: (979) 542-4744
Email: phillipsluckey@yahoo.com
Website: https://www.phillipsandluckey.com/
John Howard Burttschell
December 17, 1928 - November 16, 2019
Memorial services for John Burttschell, 90, of Austin, Texas, will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 30, 2019 at Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings. Following the service, military honors will be provided by the Giddings American Legion York Post 276.
John H. Burttschell advanced throttles to max power and made his final takeoff into the wild blue yonder on November 16, 2019 at 0555. He is now flying high in the sky.
John was born in Dime Box, Texas on December 17, 1928, the son of Elder and Mamie Burttschell, the oldest of their eight children. Through his high school years, he helped his father by hauling ice, beer, soda water, and ice cream from Giddings to cafes and merchants in Dime Box. He also helped with his father with ranching. John attended Dime Box public schools and graduated from Dime Box High School in 1946. He then attended Texas A&M, graduating in 1951 with a degree in civil engineering and also received his 2nd Lieutenant commission in the United States Air Force. With the Korean War in progress, John was called to active duty twelve days after graduation. The first nineteen months of active duty he was stationed at Carswell AFB, Texas, Hondo Air Base, Texas, Goodfellow AFB and Pinecastle AFB, Florida where he received his wings as a pilot in the USAF. After further training at Nellis AFB, Nevada, he was sent to K-47, Chunchon, Korea where he served from May 1953 to April 1954. During the last few months of the Korean War, John flew 20 combat missions and served as a forward air controller. John was stationed at Otis AFB, MA upon returning from Korea. Then Truax Field Madison, Wisconsin which included TDY to Gary AFB, Texas for helicopter training. John was honorably discharged from the Air Force active duty in December 1955. In February 1956, John started two careers, one in engineering and he continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve/Air National Guard. John's military career continued for ten more years at Ellington AFB, TX where he flew C45, C46 and C119 aircraft, then three more years at Barksdale AFB, LA to fly C124s. John then transferred to the Mississippi Air National Guard, Jackson, MS in 1969 where he flew C130s, then spending his last two and a half years of military duty as commander of the Civil Engineering Squadron. John retired in July 1979 at the rank of Lt. Colonel. After retirement from the military, he worked for two gas companies in Houston for thirteen years. He moved to New Orleans and served with the Corps of Engineers for three years and transferred to Vicksburg, MS where he worked for twenty-one years until his retirement in December 1993. John was active in several service clubs and belonged to several engineering organizations. He was active in church work while in Mississippi. John was very fond of his association with his in-laws, the Waller families of Mississippi.
And now as John fly’s high in the wild blue yonder he is singing words of that old familiar song, "In heaven there is no beer, that's why we drink it here, and when I'm gone from here, my friends will be drinking all the beer."
John in preceded in death by his parents, Elder and Mamie Burttshell; three wives, Stella McLaurin Jones, Mildred “Millie” Waller, and Helen Duckworth; sister, June Leite, and brother, Bobby Burttschell.
He is survived by his daughter, Brigitte & Frank Payne of San Marcos; four stepchildren, Phillip & Denise Wade of Madison, MS, Myra & Herb Hammond of Dallas, Leslyn & Greg Ellston of St. Louis, MO, and Kala & John Horecky of Madison, MS; twelve step grandchildren; sisters, Betty Brinkman of Deanville, Bernell Markert of Austin, Jean Bay of Deanville, and Kerry Ondrasek of Caldwell; one brother, Joe Burttschell of San Antonio, and many nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.
Memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
Memorial Service
NOV 30. 11:00 AM (CST)
Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home - Giddings
3950 East Austin St.
Giddings, TX, 78942
phillipsluckey@yahoo.com
https://www.phillipsandluckey.com/
505 George Bush Drive
College Station, TX 77840
(979) 845-7514
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