Phyllis Esther Burnett

Phyllis Esther Burnett, 87, of Roanoke, Va., died Saturday, June 13, 2009. Phyllis was born in Portland, Maine on April 22, 1922. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Lt. Col. Francis O. Burnett Jr., United States Air Force Ret. She is survived by her brother, Malcolm H. Allen Jr., of Melrose, Mass.; her daughter and son-inlaw, Judith and Robert Beightol, of Roanoke; her son, Richard Burnett, of Townsend, Ga.; her four granddaughters, Lisa Beightol Cantwell and husband, Lt. Col. Houston Cantwell, of Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aimee Beightol Levy and husband, Jon Levy, of Park City, Utah, Allison Beightol and fiancé, Brian McGuire, of Richmond, Va., and Katherine Burnett Stokes and husband, Freddy Stokes, of Augusta, Ga.; great-grandchildren, Evan and Amelia Cantwell, and two more on the way; and dear cousin, Janet Stark, of Peabody, Mass The first half of her married life, Phyllis was a proud and dedicated Air Force wife moving from New England to Asia to Newfoundland and many places in between. The second half, she and her husband, Frank, enjoyed traveling North America and especially "The Big Sky Country" of Montana. They hiked, fished, rafted, canoed and camped all around the United States. Since moving to Roanoke six years ago, Phyllis has been an active member of Windsor Hills United Methodist Church, Sugar Loaf Garden Club, Athenian Society, and Chapter AE of P.E.O. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 25, 2009, at Windsor Hills United Methodist Church. The Reverend Thomas Lee will officiate. The family will receive friends one half hour before and after the service. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Air Force Memorial Foundation, One Air Force Drive, Arlington, Va. 22204 or Windsor Hills United Methodist Memorials. Arrangements by Oakey's South Chapel, 540-989-3131.