Charles Watson Burkett

Charles Watson Burkett December 23, 1913 - March 8, 2008 Born in San Francisco to Charles Watson Burkett (born in Pittsburg, PA) and Alice Mucklestone Burkett (born in Waukeshaw, WI). He graduated from Stanford in 1936, with Phi Beta Kappa honors, and completed his law degree at Stanford in 1938. That same year, he married Marjorie Dooling, who was also educated at Stanford, with whom he had four children. He was an attorney for the Southern Pacific Railroad for 39 years, where he attained the position of assistant general counsel. He taught at San Francisco College of Law for 30 years. He was active for many years on the Stanford Club Board of Directors of which he spent some time as president. His second marriage was to Isabel McCully, in 1968. From his teenage years, he traveled extensively throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. He had a lifelong interest in hiking, and was an active member of the Sierra Club. Charles resided in his adult years in Palo Alto and Atherton. He is survived by three of his children: Tim Burkett of Minneapolis, MN, Yvette Cooper of Palo Alto, CA, and Charlotte Harper of Fyffe, AL; and seven grandchildren: Jethro Wharton, Jill Cooper, Daniel Cooper, Jed Burkett, Erin Burkett Meyer, and Nick Harper. Charles is also survived by a sister, Nancy Burkett Morse of Berkeley, CA; brother, John Wesley Burkett, MD of Lompoc, CA; and numerous nieces and nephews. His sister Jane Provost Burkett Ashford preceded him in death in 2006. A Memorial Service will be held in the side chapel at Stanford Memorial Church on Thursday, March 20 at 4:30pm. Those who wish to may make a donation in his memory to Stanford University or to the Peninsula Humane Society.