James "Jim" Burgess

James "Jim" Burgess, 93, died July 28, 2020 at the Clyde Cosper Veterans home in Bonham, TX. Jim was born August 30, 1926 in Kansas City, Missouri to Ralph LeRoy Burgess and Edith Marie McCurdy.

He joined the United States Navy at just 17 years old and trained at Farragut Naval Training Station in northern Idaho, the only inland training station in the country. During WWII, Mr Burgess served as a gunner and a cook on the USS Ticonderoga spending 18 months in the South Pacific and surviving an attack on the aircraft carrier when it was hit on January 21, 1945 by two Japanese kamikaze pilots.

On June 17, 1950 he was joined in marriage to Norma Jean Smith. Together Norma and Jim raised four children, two sons, Bruce and Brian and two daughters, Diana and Linda.

Jim spent most of his career as a manager for Holiday shoe stores in San Antonio, TX. He enjoyed old movies, westerns and working in his yard. But, cooking was his passion and he loved feeding his family and friends.

Jim is preceded in death by his wife Norma, his son Bruce Burgess, his daughter Diana Burgess and his grandson, Billy Wright IV. He is survived by his daughter Linda Burgess (Terry) his son Brian Burgess (Debbie) grandsons Travis Saint,  Aaron Saint, Mark Burgess, Kyle Burgess and  Nicholas Burgess, granddaughters, Crystal Burgess, Caroline Burgess and Brooke Burgess and three great grandchildren.

Combined services for Jim and Norma will be September 2 at 10:30 am at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery where they will be interred together.