John Burdette

John (Jack) Phillip Burdette, age 89, passed away at home in Flagstaff, Arizona on March 8th, 2021.

He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering and worked for Alcoa Aluminum in Alcoa, Tennessee where he grew up. The metals industry became his career- designing, building, and operating steel mills. His career spanned 66 years. A visionary, he designed the first filtering tower to stop smoke pollution and computerized steel mill furnaces before mandatory law.

Living and traveling across the US, Southeast Asia and South America 2 years each in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Caracas, Venezuela- were educations in other cultures, geography, and nature for the family. A licensed Professional Engineer, he consulted internationally. When asked to design a steel mill for Mozambique, Africa he did that pro bono.

Jack was a Veteran of the US Army 101st Airborne Division, an Eagle Scout, a Scottish Rite Freemason, and an El-Zaribah Shriner in Phoenix, AZ. An avid outdoor sportsman he enjoyed hunting, fishing, skiing, flying, a private pilot, and golf especially the charity events.

Music and writing where lifelong interests. He played cornet and baritone in his high school band, "Pride of the Southland" University of Tennessee band, and community concerts. Poetry subjects included southern, western and cowboy culture, nature, history, stories, adventures, and humor- publishing 14 books for gifts to family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years Katie Whillock Burdette, son John "Keith", and granddaughter Emma all of Flagstaff.

In Memory Service, Paradise Memorial Gardens, Scottsdale, Arizona.