House Resolution 41

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMEMORATING THE LIFE, LEGACY AND SERVICE OF MR. BEN RICHARD BURNEY.

WHEREAS, it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, on January 1, 2019, the grand architect of the universe summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved, Mr. Ben Richard Burney, to eternal rest, rendering great sorrow and loss to his family and friends; and

WHEREAS, the City of Crystal Springs and the entire State of Mississippi lost a wonderful friend and revered World War II veteran with the passing of Mr. Burney, who was born on July 30, 1926, to Ben I. and Velma McCoy Burney; and

WHEREAS, after graduating from Crystal Springs High School and consumed with an altruistic desire to defend and serve Lady Liberty, Ben, fresh out of high school, joined an elite fraternity of heroic seamen in the United States Navy, and during his era in the military aboard the U.S.S. Soubarissen, through grit and unparalleled exertion, he patriotically fought to ensure that America remained "The Beautiful"; and

WHEREAS, upon his honorable return home, Mr. Burney attended Copiah-Lincoln Junior College and ultimately graduated with his degree in accounting from the University of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Burney's fate would lend itself to being built in accordance with the blueprint divinely designed for the pattern of his life by the great deity and grand architect of our lives' destiny, when his love, chivalry and affection pierced the heart of the former Miss Catherine Wilson, and the duo became bone of one another's bone and flesh of one another's flesh after exchanging the nuptials of holy matrimony, building a lifetime of memories with the addition of three daughters; and

WHEREAS, one who never met a stranger, Mr. Burney was the unifying tie that bound his family together, as he sought to always be their provider which led to his role in a number of successful enterprises, including working alongside his father to establish Burney Water Well Service to provide water wells and community water lines for rural residents in Crystal Springs, for Kuhlman Electric and Royal Maid, and he retired in 1987 from Mississippi Industries for the Blind as the Vice President of National Sales; and

WHEREAS, upon his retirement, Mr. Burney remained very active in his community as a member of the Lions Club, the Lake Copiah Board of Directors and the Cattlemen's Association, and he also utilized his accounting degree as the financial officer of his church; and

WHEREAS, additionally, Mr. Burney helped to found the U.S.S. Soubarissen Ship Reunions, as uniting World War II Navy veterans for reunions was one of his passions, and he even taught his grandsons how to navigate his sailboat in the Gulf of Mexico; and

WHEREAS, Ben Richard Burney's bright sense of humor, remarkable intelligence and pure heart left an indelible impression in the hearts and minds of his many friends and family, who are left to cherish his memory, including: his daughters, Janice Burney Arrington and Virginia Burney Price; grandchildren, Jamie Myers, Erica DeRouen, Isaac Price, Thomas Price, Lee Berry and Ben Berry; great-grandchildren, Josh, Kaylin, Greyson, Jon, Chelsea, Katie, Jayme, Andrew, Hunter, Carson, Charlie, Avery and Tillie; great-great-grandson, Peter; and a host of other relatives and friends; and

WHEREAS, we encourage the family to find solace from the overwhelming sadness created by the earthly departure of their beloved family member and be renewed in their faith that Mr. Burney fulfilled the purpose of his appointed time in adherence to the commandment of II Timothy 4:7, by having "fought a good fight, finishing his course and keeping the faith until the hour of his departure was at hand"; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend the life and service of such a genuine and selfless individual as Mr. Ben Richard Burney, whose light illuminated the path of hope for all he encountered along this earthly sojourn:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commemorate the life, legacy and service of Mr. Ben Richard Burney and express sincere and deepest sympathy upon his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Mr. Ben Richard Burney and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.