Donald H. Burdick

Donald Horton Burdick of Hampton, died unexpectedly at home of natural causes on March 4, 2014. Donald was a man who lived every day to the fullest. Donnie, as many called him, was born at home in Chaplin to Mary Ellen Horton and Morton Thompson Burdick on Oct. 21, 1924. He moved to Hampton in 1936 where at the age of 12 he contributed his saved earnings from a paper route to help purchase the family farm. He would often proudly say he had not indulged in a single nickel ice cream cone, he was so dedicated to saving his earnings. Even as a child he contributed to running and working the farm, often missing school to care and provide for his family. He took great pride in maintaining and improving the land. He and his brother Richard grew their Christmas tree farm and their families. In 1956 he met his future bride Marilyn when she and Richard's future wife (Marilyn's sister Jean) moved in next door. He and Marilyn married in 1965 and raised 3 daughters and lost a daughter to cancer when she was a toddler. He would always say he never put her out of his mind. His interests included avidly following the stock market and reading multiple newspapers a day. One of his favorite activities was driving a tractor. Whether it was baling hay or going from house-to-house splitting wood, he loved being on the tractor. It became his mode of transportation later in life. He helped everyone in the family keep a supply of wood split for the winter. In fact he spent the last few days of his life splitting wood with his family who would bring him his most treasured gifts... un-split cord wood. The only thing he loved more than being on his tractor and the land was his family. He was especially proud of being a grandfather. He leaves his wife, Marilyn Doblinger Burdick, three daughters and their families, Joy and Tom Tyler of Colchester, Judy and Ben Buell of Hampton, and Heidi and Rob Rondeau of Hampton; 8 grandchildren, Melinda and Emily Buell, Tony, Nicki and Joey Tyler, Genevieve, Evelyn, and Ryan Rondeau; three sisters-in-law, Jean Burdick, Arlene Becker, and Jane Nichols; nieces and nephews Lynn Burdick, Kathy LaChance, Terry Becker, Mark Becker, David Doblinger, and Joshua Doblinger and great nieces and nephews Tristyn and Shaelyn Drake and Zachary and Nicholas Burdick-Chapel. He was predeceased by his parents, a daughter M. Melinda Burdick and brothers, Richard and Darwin Burdick. His family will receive relatives and friends on THURSDAY March 6, 2014 between 6:00 and 8:00pm at Potter Funeral Home 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic. The Funeral Service will be held on SATURDAY March 8th at 1:00pm at Christ Church Pomfret, 521 Pomfret St. (Rte. 169) Pomfret Center. Interment in Litchfield Cemetery, Hampton, will be in the spring. In lieu of flowers, his family suggests memorial donations to either Hampton Chaplin Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 98, Hampton, CT. 06247 or to Fletcher Memorial Library c/o Linda Gorman, Library Director, P.O. Box 6, Hampton, CT 06247. For an online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com .