Roy Edward Burnett III departed this life on the evening of January 7, 2023 after succumbing to complications following lung surgery in Houston, TX. He is preceded in death by his wife, Sherilyn Culpepper Burnett.
Roy was born on February 1, 1949 in Bryan, TX. When his family settled in League City, TX, close friendships were established that lasted throughout the years and many wonderful times were spent with grandparents, relatives, and friends close by in Baytown. The waters of Galveston Bay were a favorite of his for fishing and the Houston Oilers were a favorite for football.
After Roy graduated from Clear Creek High School in 1967, he attended San Jacinto College before joining the United States Air Force. Soon after enlistment, while stationed in Biloxi, MS, he took part in recovery efforts after his military base and surrounding communities endured the ravages of Hurricane Camille in 1969. A third-generation veteran, he was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Also, during his time in the military, Roy completed a five-week course at Macdill Air Force Base in Tampa, FL where he obtained top-secret security clearance.
After honorably serving in the military, Roy attended the University of Houston and, in 1976, received a Bachelor of Science in Technology. Due to his top-secret security clearance, Lockheed at NASA hired him on the spot while he was a student at U of H and he analyzed telemetric seismic data for Apollo missions. He later embarked on a lengthy and notable career in land and marine seismic exploration. He gained widespread recognition in the industry for his expertise. He worked for companies that included Seiscom Delta, Digicon, and Veritas. Ever dedicated to his profession, his work took him far and wide across the United States and to many foreign countries. As a "doodlebugger" much of his experience involved high risk situations in remote areas. Roy developed deep, unbreakable friendships during his adventures as a "doodlebugger" which lasted until his last breath. One of his most notable roles was the one of Grandad. .
Roy's devotion to family, friends, and country shone bright throughout his lifetime. His passion for music manifested at an early age and as a talented, self-taught musician, his love for playing guitar brought him great enjoyment. Beginning in the 1970s and spanning decades, there were many memorable nights spent with family and friends relishing performances by notable musicians at Houston's most well-known venues.
Roy is survived by sons Todd Burnett and Edward Burnett, daughter Wendi Fabre and son-in-law Brandon Brookshire, grandson Rudy (Junior) Fabre, sister Pam Sims and husband James, sister Pat Jensen and husband Erik, sister Martha Kunkel and husband David, nieces Tracy Kern, Julie Wright, Emily Watkins, Rebecca Kise, Tonya Grubbs, Ashley Grubbs, Sydney Valentine, nephews Ken Harrelson, Jonathan King and their families, sisters-in-law Jody Valentine, Amy Harrott, many cousins and life-long friends
Roy was a friend to all and dearly loved by all who knew him.
Visits: 60
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors