Jonathan C. Burgess
Husband, Father and Brother
Jonathan Coke Burgess, age 83, of Ohio Township, Pa., formerly of Westfield, N.J., passed away peacefully and surrounded by loved ones on Friday, December 20, 2024. Beloved husband for 57 years of Arlene (Krevet), he was the loving father of Jeremy (Rebecca Bowman) Burgess and Justin Burgess, and brother of Gary Burgess. Preceded in death by his sisters, Peg, Katherine and Becki, Jon also is survived by loving relatives and friends.
Jon was born October 8, 1941 and raised in Keyser, West Virginia. He spent his formative years working for his family’s businesses. After graduating from West Virginia University with a degree in chemical engineering, Jon landed a job in New Jersey with Esso. Soon thereafter he met his wife-to-be, Arlene, and the two were married and settled down in Westfield, N.J.
Jon and Arlene raised two sons and one dynamite golden retriever on Shadowlawn Drive, surrounded by some of the best neighbors a family could ask for. Jon spent the majority of his career working in the petroleum, food and pharmaceutical industries. He truly loved the problem- solving nature of his work and took great pride in accounting for every last detail. He was an active member of several professional engineering organizations. Not one for resting on his laurels, in his free time Jon was equally driven. Whether it was attending the Cub Scouts, Indian Guides or another out-of-state soccer tournament…he was there. As an avid angler, Jon was a longtime member of Trout Unlimited. This affiliation combined his passion for fishing with his desire to protect the environment for future generations. Perhaps his greatest gift of all was Jon’s ability to tell a darn good story. Cocktail in hand, he could transport his listeners back to the hollers of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. He may be gone, but his sons have vowed that those stories shall live on forever.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Road, Lilburn, Ga. 30047; www.dementiasociety.org.
January 9, 2025
