Douglas Ward Burnette

Douglas W. Burnette, 91, died on February 2, 2026, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Doug was born in Roanoke, Virginia, to Vera Burnette and Ernest Sherrill Burnette, on December 29, 1934. Doug grew up in Alexandria and graduated from George Washington High School in 1951. He attended the University of Virginia, graduating with a degree in physics in 1955.

In 1961, Doug married Florence McGrath of Sheffield, Alabama. They spent three years in Phoenix, Arizona, where their daughters Ann and Susan were born. They moved to Falls Church, Virginia, in 1967, where their son Douglas was born. In 1970, the family moved to the Tauxemont neighborhood of Alexandria.

Doug worked as an electrical engineer designing defensive radar antenna systems for companies including Litton Industries, Nurad Technologies, Page Communications, and Westinghouse Electronic Systems. He also bought and ran two retail businesses.

He loved listening to music, playing his guitar, and singing folk songs. He painted landscapes and still lifes, enjoyed photography, and was an avid reader. He was an enthusiastic sports fan, supporting Washington and University of Virginia teams. He was also an athlete himself, playing on a semi-pro lacrosse team in Arizona and competing in D.C. area races as a runner.

Doug was a devoted husband and father. He and his wife Florence enjoyed family activities such as dining out on Friday nights at favorite restaurants, attending local sporting events, and regular vacations at the beach. Florence died in 2006.

In 2017, Doug married Frances (Penny) Koehn, a fellow alumna of the University of Virginia Class of 1955. They were active in the statewide round and square dancing community. They lived in Charlottesville until his death.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his wife Florence. He is survived by his brother, Richard Burnette; his wife, Penny Koehn Burnette; and his children Ann Burnette (Rey García), Susan Brankin (Conor Brankin), and Douglas M. Burnette. He will be remembered for his curiosity, his kindness, his intelligence, and his sense of humor.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, February 18, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria, Virginia. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, February 19, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home, with a reception immediately following at Everly-Wheatley. He will be buried with his wife Florence at Ivy Hill Cemetery at 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 19.