Hugh
Burgess was interred with military honors at Rose Hills Memorial
Park, Whittier, California, on August 12, 2019, alongside the graves
of his parents and older brother, with beloved family and friends
attending.
Whenever God, your parents and the inescapable randomness of human
DNA give you to start with, most of life is about choices. As American
involvement in Vietnam became increasingly unpopular, Lynwood High
School's popular swimmer, surfer and school play star "Huey
Bop" (voted "Most Talkative") chose to compete for
appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy. He won.
While his chosen major was Civil Engineering, he also did comprehensive
study of fine arts. Believing that one of the most important characteristics
for a cadet or officer is Initiative (and to help pay
the high cost of maintaining the new Corvette he chose to buy with
his car loan), for only $50 this natural artist could take a wallet
photo of your girlfriend and, on the dresser of his Vandenberg Hall
room, paint a beautiful frameable portrait.
Low-key
and calm when other cadets might be in a panic or tripping over
their egos, Hugh had the confidence to choose the bright side--and
the brains, empathy and sense of humor to find a way to really help
others. He was a guy you could depend on. His good ideas and easy
laugh helped you--and underclassmen who respected him but didnt
fear him--get through the toughest days. But almost shy and never
bragging, you just didnt hear much about his own successes--as
a cadet, and later in life. Hugh chose to just take care of stuff.
Following
graduation and pilot training at Laredo AFB, TX, where he picked-up
the call sign Flibbet and learned that Texas hail can
turn your convertible top into an air conditioner, Hugh flew C-141s
out of McGuire AFB, and then C-130s out of Clark AB into Vietnam
69-70, and then out of Langley AFB. Among these adventures, he earned
a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, an Air Force MSM, 4 Air Medals,
and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
After Hugh departed active duty in 1973, his pilot,
artistic and management skills--combined with a love of travel--led
to a colorful set of careers that included (1) pilot for Saturn
Airways
pilot for ARAMCO, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
and Captain
for Hawaiian Airlines, including flying the DC-10, as well as (2)
owner of Burgess & Co. Art, San Francisco
Management Ops
Supervisor, McDonald Corp, San Francisco
Real Estate Investment
Associate, Langley Tackes, San Francisco
Real Estate Investment
Associate, Merrill Lynch, Ventura, CA
and Commercial Division
Manager, Bob Crane & Associates, Los Angeles.
Hugh enjoyed his years in the house he had built
in Hawaii so much that, at his memorial service, members of the
family wore Hawaiian clothes and his favorite island music even
included a ukulele player. Conversations were about his devotion
to family and his fun-loving personality, including many pranks
recalled by high school friends, often involving his little AMC
Metropolitan convertible. In later years, now a jet pilot, Hugh
appropriately moved up to a head-turning 18.8-ft Pontiac Bonneville
convertible.
Hugh Burgess was a classmate to be proud of, a friend
you were glad to depend on, and a creative, artistic guy who chose
to live a life full of variety, fun, and good friends. God bless
and keep you, Hugh. (Bill
Eckert and other classmates)