Ralph William Burnett, 72, Plant City, FL passed on to his Lord Sunday, May 26, 2019. Ralph was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 4, 1946 to Fred and Virginia Burnett. He is survived by his wife Sandra "Sandy" Kathleen Burnett, sons, Joshua E. Burnett (Trang) of Tampa, FL, M. Alexander Burnett (Christina) of Orlando, FL; brother, Wayne Burnett (Mary Jean), of Norwood, Ohio; sisters: Beverly Jones (Elmer) of Milford, Ohio,and Peg Sciara (Dominic) of Plant City, FL, and 4 grandsons.
Ralph grew up in Norwood Ohio where he graduated from high school in 1964. He attended the University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering in the co-op program. He graduated in 1970 with a bachelor of science in electrical engineering, and had worked for Cincinnati Milling Machine during those college years.
Upon graduation Ralph and Sandy , his wife of one year, moved to Indianapolis Indiana where he joined the law firm of Trask, Jenkins and Hanley while he attended Indiana University Indianapolis Law School, Ralph received his Juris Doctor and two sons during the next three years.
But by 1974 he was ready to move on and joined GTE at their corporate offices in NYC and Darien Connecticut. They moved the family to Norwalk, Connecticut until GTE moved them to El Paso, Texas, but only two years there. Next stop was the Phoenix office and four years or so. GTE was a moving company and they moved him up and away again, this time to the Tampa area where the family found a home. He stayed with GTE until it became Verizon in 2001, traveling back and forth between Plant City and Lewisville, Texas, near corporate headquarters in Irving for the last ten years with them. Not only did he move with GTE, but he traveled extensively for them to many places in Europe, the Mid East, and the Far East . But, his heart was always at home with his family. When he retired in 2001, he had been VP General Counsel for GTE for some time.
Ralph loved his family, his Lord, his work, his friends and his dogs. He loved to work with his hands as much as loved to work with his mind, and he showed it as he volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in the Dallas area, the Tampa / Plant City area, and on larger builds in Valdosta, Georgia.
His family will miss his jokes, his laugh, and his advice, as well as his presence.
A memorial service will be held at 4:00 pm on Sunday, June 16, 2019 at Gracepoint Church, 1107 Charlie Griffin Road, Plant City, Florida. Reverend Robert Olszewski will officiate.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.WellsMemorial.com for the Burnett family.
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