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Submitted: 3/25/24 • Approved: 3/26/24 • Last Updated: 3/29/24 • R1524947-G0-S3
June 11, 1937 - April 29, 2009
Lester Bernard "Bernie" Burgess Jr., 71, of Arkoma died Wednesday, April 29, in a Fort Smith hospital. He was born June 11, 1937, to Lester and Lillian Lambert Burgess.
Bernie attended schools in Fort Smith and Spiro. He attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., where he majored in music. He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
He was an area businessman for the past 49 years who owned and operated the Burgess Company Inc. in Arkoma and former Burgess Sheet Metal in Fort Smith. He specialized in mechanical and utility contracting and was well known for his expertise in these fields.
Aside from his contracting business, his interest in farming led to the ownership of Burgess Farms in Oklahoma.
He is survived by his wife, Carol; his daughter, Whitney; sons, David, Michael and Marcus; granddaughter Brittney; and step-grandson, Chase. He was preceded in death by his father and his sister, Ann Marie Widdifield of Pahoa, Hawaii.
Funeral service was held on Saturday, May 2, at 1 p.m. at Saint Boniface Catholic Church with burial at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Herb Davis, Andy Dibble, Jim Fry, Harold McDonald, Bill Miles and Brett Peters.
Source: "Fort Smith Times Record." Fort Smith, Arkansas. 1 May 2009.
Photo courtesy of Frances Allen Titsworth
Contributed on 3/25/24 by Billsully060
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Record #: 1524947