Obituary of Louis Burghardt

Louis (Lou) Burghardt, born in New Jersey on March 15, 1925, died on July 6, 2008 in Chico, CA. He was a member of the Greatest Generation in every sense. At the age of sixteen, while attending North Plainfield High School in New Jersey, Pearl Harbor was bombed and Lou immediately joined the Navy. He originally served in the Armed Guard as part of a military gun crew protecting merchant ships. He narrowly survived a passage on the Murmansk Run during the heaviest U-Boat attack of the war and, in another close call, came through a major storm on the North Atlantic that cracked open the hull of the liberty ship he was on. The ship limped into Halifax for repairs and from there Lou went on to fight German dive bombers from an anti-aircraft gun on the deck of a fully loaded ammunition ship off the coast of Africa. Lou was selected and trained as an enlisted pilot in Pensacola, Florida where he later served as a flight instructor. He flew a submarine spotter plane from the deck of the battleship Washington. After the war, he continued to fly and was one of the first Navy pilots to convert to Jets, actually participating in the program before the Navy even had formal training. At one time, Lou was qualified and current in thirty-two different Naval aircraft and was proud to be one of the few remaining enlisted pilots. A rare accomplishment and a tribute to his dedication, Lou worked his way up through the enlisted ranks to become an officer and a gentleman, joining an elite group, fondly referred to as "Mustangs". He retired from the Navy as a Lt. Commander after 25 years of service and continued his flying career as a corporate pilot for Bechtel Corporation, retiring from the position of Chief Pilot after twenty-three years of service to that organization. Lou's greatest pride was his epic romance and 64 year marriage to his surviving spouse, Margaret, "the prettiest girl in school". They were always together, always holding hands and always in love. They became the ideal for relationships to everyone who knew them. Together they traveled the world and raised six wonderful children. Lou is survived by two loving sisters, Marian Blaszcak of Ramona, California and Monica Lennon in Drexel Hill, Pa., as well as his six children and their spouses, Nancy and Jim Johnson of Portland, John and Jamie Burghardt of Chico, Rebecca and Steve LaLonde of Healdsburg, David and Laurie Burghardt of Santa Rosa, Laura Burghardt of Chico, and, Barbara and Gus Lagiss of Danville, each of whom made him proud in their own special way. He also enjoyed and will be missed by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He left the world a better place for having been with us. A memorial service in celebration of Lou's extraordinary life is planned for a later date. Contributions may be made to Chico Hospice in care of the Brusie Funeral Home