William D. "Bill" Burnett

William Darrel (Bill) Burnett was born in the back bedroom of a small house on Beech Street in Ottawa, Kansas on November 30, 1935.  He was the fourth child of Fayette Grace (Miskimon) and Otis Emerson Burnett.  When he was a year old the family moved to Lyndon for a brief time prior to making their home in Burlington, Kansas until Bill completed the 7th grade.  After his parents divorced, Bill was very happy living with his sister and brother-in-law, Beryl and Lloyd Jones, and their two children Sandra and Bill, in Lebo where Bill completed the 8th and 9th grades and played basketball, a game he loved.  During Bill’s time in Lebo, he dedicated his life to Jesus and was baptized in the Lebo Baptist Church. Bill’s mother moved him to Topeka to live with her until his senior year, when his brother, Eugene Burnett moved Bill to LeRoy, Kansas to live with Gene and Helen and their two daughters, Sharon and Janice. Bill graduated from LeRoy High School in 1953.  After high school graduation, Bill moved to Topeka where he worked for the United States Air Force in data processing and computer programming.  Highlights of Bill’s education and careers include bachelor’s and master’s degree in economics from Central Missouri State University while working full time to computerize the entire school; a fellowship for a doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in industrial management; Economist for Economic Development under Wyoming Governor Stanley K. Hathaway, where Bill worked with Donald Trump for a brief time.  Bill joined the five-state Old West Economic Commission to bring industry into the states of Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska under President Gerald Ford. Bill taught at a number of colleges, owned a couple businesses and his last position, was a Federal Housing Authority Negotiator and Grant Writer with the Eastern Kansas Economic Development Group.    Bill enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, camping, traveling, photography and working with the Methodist NOMADS for nationwide disaster relief. Bill had been a member of several service organizations.  Bill married Ellen Robinson, they were later divorced. Bill married the love of his life, Vicki Horlyk Burnett. Survivors include his loving and devoted wife; children Synthia Lindbloom and husband Robert, their four children: Kristen, Michael, Andrew, Emilie, and five great-grandchildren of Mokena, IL; John Burnett and wife Candace of Huntsville, AL; Steve Burnett and Ingrid Keseler of Millbrae, CA; Trisha Kvasnica and husband Andrew, their five children: Elijah, Luke, Brynne, Karisa, and Autumn of Manhattan, KS; Matthew Burnett and wife Diana, their four sons: Austin, Kyle, Gavin, and Tyler of Bonner Springs, KS; and chosen daughter Meredith Patterson and husband Eric and son Teddy of Emporia, KS.  Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Eugene Burnett, sisters Beryl Jones and Bonnie Weber.   Since 2008, Bill put up an intense and continuous fight against mixed dementia. The Holiday Resort was his home for the last year where he received dignified and excellent care.  Memorial services will be held at 3:00 P.M., Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Jones VanArsdale Funeral Home in Lebo. The family will receive friends from 1:00 P.M. until service time Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to Emporia Alzheimer’s Association in care of Jones VanArsdale Funeral Home  P.O. Box #43,  Lebo, Kansas 66856.