© Tammie Chada

Tommy Lynn Burkhead

The Purcell Register

October 20, 2005

Submitted by: Mary Anneler

A memorial service for Tommy Lynn Burkhead, 77, of Purcell was held Oct. 19, 2005 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Purcell. Arrangements were under the direction of Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell.

Mr. Burkhead died Oct. 17, 2005 in Norman.

He was born Oct. 11, 1927 in Yukon, the only child of J.T. and Opal McCallon Burkhead. He was reared on a farm in the Piedmont community.

Mr. Burkhead served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was stationed in the Philippines at the end of the war.

He earned a civil engineering degree from Oklahoma A&M University and worked on the construction of hospitals, airfields and oil pipelines in several Middle East countries, Greenland and Venezuela. He retired from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mr. Burkhead enjoyed the study of languages and in his retirement volunteered time to teach English as a Second Language to adults through Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Purcell and to children through Purcell Elementary School. He also served as an interpreter at free medical clinics.

He received numerous awards for his volunteer work including the National FAA Hispanic Volunteer Award.

Survivors include his wife, Carolyn, of the home in Norman; one son, Tony, of Oklahoma City and two daughters, Mary of Dallas and Susanna of Grosse Pointe, Mich.

Memorials may be made to the Our Lady of Victory Building Fund or the Purcell Public School Foundation.

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