Lt. Charlie Ross Burnette

Mr. Charlie Ross Burnette was born on May 12, 1935, in Chatham County, North Carolina to the late Judge Ruffin Burnette and the late Allie T. Burnette. He departed this life on May 18, 2023.

Charlie had six siblings, five of whom preceded him in death--Aline Baldwin, Elizabeth Burnette, Betty Jones, Julius Burnette, and Zenobia Battle. He had four children, two of whom preceded him in death-Charlie LeVone Brown and Tillman DeLeon VanHook. He had a special nephew who also preceded him in death, James "JP” Burnette.

He was educated in the Chatham County School System and graduated from Horton High School, Class of 1960. He received his Associates degree in Law Enforcement Studies from Durham Community College.

He answered the call of this country on June 10, 1954, and served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He served as a paratrooper and communications specialist and received an honorable discharge on October 16, 1957. Charlie worked at UNC Memorial Hospital as an Operating Room Technician, a UNC Public Safety Officer, and as an Orange County Sheriff's Department Deputy for over 30 years, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant.

Charlie had a love for music. He played the bass guitar with the "Goldenairs," and sang bass as a member of the "Traveling Sons," as well as the male choir at Mitchell Chapel AME Zion Church.

He leaves to cherish his memories: his wife, Doris J. Burnette of Chapel Hill, NC; his daughter, Latonya Burnette of Chapel Hill, NC; his son, John Toomer (Tawan) of Chesapeake, VA; his sister, Mabel Brooks of Pittsboro, NC; special niece - Barbara Wall of Chapel Hill, NC; special nephews - Kenneth Brooks of Durham, NC, and Randy Baldwin of Chapel Hill, NC; and several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of relatives and friends.

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