Lieutenant Colonel (U.S. Air Force, Retired) Fred H. Burdeshaw, Jr. died 4/28/2024 at age 80. He was a resident of Sharpsburg, GA where he had lived since 1998.
Burdeshaw was born in Ocilla, GA January 10, 1944, the son of Dora Lee McMillan Burdeshaw and Fred H. Burdeshaw. As a military dependent, he graduated from Yamato High School near Tachikawa Air Force Base, Japan in 1962.
He earned a B.A. degree in Journalism, with double minor in history, from Auburn University in 1967 where he became a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity. He earned an M.A. degree in Planning and Public Administration from Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA in 1977.
After four years of Air Force ROTC at Auburn, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force upon graduation. He served on active duty in the Air Force for 22 years as a personnel officer, and as professional military education officer.
Notable Air Force overseas assignments included duty in Thailand and Italy. Other noteworthy assignments included duty as Director of Personnel at Moody AFB, GA. And faculty duty at Air Command and Staff College, and Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL.
After retirement from the Air Force in 1988, Burdeshaw led the Air Force Junior ROTC Program at Jonesboro High School, Jonesboro, GA. For 15 years. He retired from that employment and the state of Georgia in 2004.
Burdeshaw was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Church, Montgomery, AL where he also was a vestry member and served as Lay Reader. He most recently attended Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church.
Since Burdeshaw was an educated and trained journalist, he expressed his talent in many different venues throughout his life, which reflected his respect and appreciation for the military veterans of America’s wars. Several of his feature stories about distinguished veterans were published in a variety of media. His articles about outstanding local golfers were also published in various media.
Burdeshaw was an avid recreational golfer who regularly played with several large groups of friends, mostly at Canongate golf course. He was a self-taught artist who drew and painted; he enjoyed some minor successes at selling his work, and donated some of his paintings to the Cathedral of Christ the King.
Burdeshaw had always owned and loved dogs and had several rescued homeless Beagles through the years.
His ashes will be interred at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Patricia Underwood Burdeshaw, his daughter Robin Ansley Burdeshaw, his son Galen Eben Burdeshaw (Sarah), and his granddaughters, Lily Marie, Sarah Frances, and Eloise.
A memorial service will be conducted at Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church in Sharpsburg, GA at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 19th, 2024 with full military honors at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Newnan-Coweta Humane Society or to Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
