Charles Edgar Burtner

A Memorial Service for Charles( Chuck) Edgar Burtner of Flippin, Arkansas, will be 1:00 pm, Friday, December 4, 2015, at Kirby & Family Funeral Home Chapel, Mountain Home, with Reverend Jan Butin officiating.

Charles passed away November 27, 2015, in Flippin, Arkansas at the age of 91. He was born January 20, 1924, in Lebanon, Indiana, the son of Charles and Olive Campbell Burtner. He married Mary Ann Long on December 10, 1944, at Lebanon, Indiana. Charles retired as a Lt. Colonel from the United States Air Force after 22 years of service. He was a P-51 pilot with the Eighth Air Force Fighter Command in England during WWII, flew as a pilot during the Korean Conflict and flew in Germany as a P-47 pilot. He participated in The Berlin Airlift, and was also a pilot instructor. Charles received several accommodations including the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the European Theater of Operation Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, the American Campaign Medal, Army of Occupation Medal and National Defense Service Medal and others.

Charles is survived by his three daughters, Barbara (David) Brown of Fayetteville, AR, Libby (Fred Abt) Burtner of Boise, ID, Patty (Mike) Crosby of Flippin, AR; son, John Charles Burtner of Conway, AR; five grandchildren, Bryan (Jenny) Brown of Fayetteville, AR, Sarah (Andrew) Huntsinger of Rogers, AR, Eric Burtner-Abt of Ewa Beach, HI, Alec (Annalise) Burtner-Abt of Ewa Beach, HI, Amanda Crosby of Camas, WA, two great-grandchildren, Emily E. Huntsinger and Covy Hewes Brown.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Mary Ann Burtner, and grandson, Christopher Crosby.

Military Honors will be provided by the Ozark VFW Post #3246 and U.S. Air Force Honor Guards.

Chuck Burtner was a man of God, giving the gift of faith to his children. He was an Elder in the 1st Presbyterian Church in Greenville, Mississippi and taught Jr. High Sunday School. He demonstrated his faith by his daily living and giving generously to many charities as well as participation as a 32nd Degree Mason.

Chuck was a man of many talents. From an early age, he loved planes and flying, tinkering with engines and designing planes. While on duty in Germany, he built a model airplane of his own design using matchsticks, toothpicks, a birds nest and toilet paper! He continued designing, building and flying model airplanes into his later life, winning many contests and mentoring other flyers.

He taught his daughters the love of nature, the art of fishing, the intricacies of photography, the beauty of music. He could find freshwater fish to catch just about anywhere while watching the environment around him come to life from early morning or into the evening. He played a mean trumpet from his school years into his later life, including the Shriners Band in Waco, Texas. Chuck’s poignant photographs of his wife in Europe reveal his understanding of painting with light with a camera.

Memorials may be made to the Paragould Children's Home or Hospice of North Arkansas.

Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services.