Jack Burnett

Jack Dale Burnett, son of Amel Jack Burnett and Gladys Taylor Burnett, was born April 4, 1933 in Wichita, Kansas. He attended Roosevelt High School in Des Moines where he played football and ran track. He graduated from the University of Iowa and belonged to the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. In 1955, Jack enlisted in the United States Air Force and served as a pilot. After being honorably discharged in 1958, Jack worked for International Harvester until 1963 when he started farming. He married Judith Jane Clements in 1954. They had three children together, Jeff, Jane and John. He was united in marriage to Sandra Brown Sylvester on August 12, 1989 in Milford, Iowa. Sandra has three children, Jane, Jill and Tim. Over the years Jack had many hobbies including fishing, boating, snowmobiling, tropical fish tanks, reading and playing cards. He loved the lakes and took great pride in his ability to provide and care for his family. Jack was artistic and liked to sketch and draw. He delighted friends and family with hand drawn cards and caricatures. He was member of the Masons. Jack passed away June 4, 2013 at the Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at eighty years of age. He is survived by his wife, Sandra Burnett; three children, Jeff (Jane) Burnett, John (Stephanie) Burnett and Jane Faiola; three stepchildren, Jane (Tom), Jill, Tim (Mindy); seventeen grandchildren, many other relatives and friends. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Judith and one sister, Beverly Weissenburger. Memorials given to the family will be directed to the "Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America". For more information on this organization, visit iava.org.