John Frank Burgess Jr.

Family-Placed Death Notice

John Frank Burgess, Jr. a Decorated Career Army Officer who became a vice president of the Consolidated Edison Company of New York died Tuesday of heart failure at St. Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. He was eighty-nine and a longtime resident of Roswell. A Veteran of World War II and a graduate of the Army War College, he played an important role during the years of the Cold War in the development of policies and practices for cooperative logistics arrangements with United States' allies in Europe and the Pacific. During the Vietnam era, he commanded the United States Tank-Automotive Command, a manufacturing facility in Detroit, Michigan. He later commanded the Army/Air Force European Exchange System, then a retail organization serving United States forces throughout Europe and extending from Great Britain to North Africa. Burgess was awarded the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters. He retired in 1969 with the rank of Colonel. As vice president of the Queens division of the Consolidated Edison Company, his leadership transformed the division into one of the most effective in the Consolidated Edison system. During his years as vice president he was active in civic and philanthropic affairs in Queens and served on numerous boards of directors, including the Boy Scouts of America, the YMCA, the Queens Symphony Orchestra, and the Queens High School All Star Jazz Band, of which he was a founder. A native of Lanett, Alabama, Burgess was born in 1917 to John F. Burgess, Sr., and Mary Catherine Heard. He was educated at Auburn University where he received a B.S. degree in economics and business administration; and at The George Washington University where he received master's degrees in international relations and personnel management. He is survived by his wife of nearly sixty-eight years, the former Helen Hamby of Roswell, Georgia; by his children, Beverly Davidson of Kennesaw, Georgia; Frank of Auburn, Alabama and Barbara of Chicago, Illinois; as well as by three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held at the Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Rd., Roswell, Georgia, on Friday, June 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. A Funeral Service will be held at St. David's Episcopal Church, 1015 Old Roswell Rd., Roswell, Georgia on Saturday, June 23, at 2 PM. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia with full military honors on a date to be announced. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to St. David's Episcopal Church, the Jeffords Fellowship Hall Building Fund, 1015 Old Roswell Rd., Roswell, Georgia. 30076. www.roswellfuneralhome.com.