In Loving Memory James Earl Burgess 3/25/1920 -6/27/2010

James Earl Burgess Sr. age 90, passed away on June 27, 2010, in Redding, CA. He was born in Zenia, CA on March 25, 1920, to Ralph and May Burgess. His parents were a pioneer family in Southern Trinity County, having homesteaded the Bar-X Ranch in Zenia. He had eight sisters, Addie, Clara, Margaret, Edna, Bertha, Mable, Katie and Maxine, and one brother, Andy. He attended a one room school house where he was taught by his Uncle Edward Burgess. He went to High School in Fortuna, CA, where he stayed with a family and worked for his room and board. After graduating from high school he went to San Francisco where he worked in the Navy Shipyards.

In 1942 he joined the Navy, which seemed strange to his family as he did not know how to swim and he never learned. He was shipped to the South Pacific as an aviation metalsmith to set up a shop on the island of Tarawa when the air field was secured. The Navy found out he could operate heavy equipment and sent him ashore on the second day of the invasion to operate one of two bulldozers. He was decorated by Admiral Nimitz for his service there. While in the Navy he met a sailor by the name of Dawson Jonas from Deming, NM. They were talking about families when Dawson showed him a picture. Dawson had ten sisters and three brothers. Upon seeing the picture he asked Dawson if his sisters were married and was told they were not. He pointed to one very pretty girl and asked her name and if he could write to her. Her name was Eron Jonas and they exchanged letters for two years. She was the love of his life and they were married upon his return to the states in 1945. They lived in Deming, NM for a few years then he moved his family to Southern Trinity County and built a home. He worked for the Trinity County Road Department until his oldest son graduated out of the eighth grade. Not wanting to board his kids out for high school, he moved his family to Weaverville in 1960. He left the Road Department, bought a road grader and went into the business on his own. He ran that grader until he was forced by family to retire at eighty years old. He loved country music and was a member of the Old Time Fiddlers Association. He was a member of the Operating Engineers and a Life Member of the VFW.

He is survived by James E. Burgess Jr (Mary), John R. Burgess (Becky), and David W. Burgess (Julie). He is also survived by eight grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and two on the way. There are also over one hundred nieces and nephews. He was married to his lovely wife, Eron, for fifty-nine years, before her passing in 2004. Family meant everything to him and he loved them all. Everyone who met him liked him. There was always a strong hand shake, an invitation for a cup of coffee and a good story. He will be missed and never forgotten. There will be an internment at the Veterans Cemetery in Igo, CA. A Celebration of Life for family and friends is pending.