Thomas Burkhard's Obituary
Obituary
Thomas Burkhard, age 101, passed away on September 1, 2022, in Adamstown, MD where he resided.
Tom, as he was known to his friends and family, was born in Ipswich, MA the third child of Pauline and Russell Burkhard. He grew up in Newton, MA. While attending the University of New Hampshire and on a blind date, he met his future wife, Nancy. His college career was interrupted by WW11. He signed up for the U.S. Naval Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet and was assigned to the pre-flight school at UNC, in Chapel Hill. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and served in combat duty flying Corsair fighters, in the Marshall Islands, and later served as an instructor in the F7F Night Fighter program at Vero Beach, Florida. After the war, he returned to the University of New Hampshire and graduated with a degree in Dairy Management in 1946.
Upon graduation he worked for NEMPA, a Dairy Cooperative, as a Field Representative in St Johnsbury, VT. Tom joined the Mitchell Division of the Borden Company and was the Vice President in the Sales Division. He was the Director of Milk Marketing for Agri-Mark – an agricultural marketing cooperative producing 2.5 billion pounds of milk annually. He worked in the Dairy industry from 1946-1983 and covered territory all over New England and NY. Post retirement, he was a part time role player at the FBI academy, and Tom greatly enjoyed that experience.
Tom enjoyed traveling and was fortunate to travel extensively during his retirement years. He was especially fond of Holland America Cruises in his later years. Tom always had his camera ready to snap pictures of what he saw and enjoyed having slide shows with family and friends. His favorite two places where he traveled were the South Pacific Islands and New Zealand. When he had a home and yard, he loved spending hours outside working in the yard and doing stonework. He left a legacy of many beautiful dry stonewalls in CT, MA, and VA. Over the years, Tom had enjoyed sailing Beetle Cat boats on Cape Cod Bay, tennis, golf, and skiing. In his youth he played semi-pro baseball for the Essex Shipbuilders team earning $5.00 per game.
Tom was active in the Episcopal church as a Lay Reader in Trumbull, CT, North Andover, MA and Manassas, VA. He also served as a senior warden at Trinity Episcopal Church and St Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Tom was married to his beloved Nancy for 59 years. She predeceased him in 2004. Survivors include his daughters Alison B. Dove (Haymarket, VA), Lisa B. Bennett (Pinehurst, NC) and son RADM Thomas K. Burkhard, MD (Swansboro, NC)and five granddaughters; Kimberly Roth, Jenifer Rousseau, Stephanie Farris, Kate Neuman, Jessica Weaver and by eleven great grandchildren Justin Roth, Amanda Sidell, Payton & Taylor Farris, Alexander & Aidan Rousseau, Thomas, Blake and William Neuman and Ainsley & Madison Weaver.
A private service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Tom, to the Salvation Army.
To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.
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