Vester Louis Burris

Visitation for Vester Louis Burris will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at Mish Funeral Home (120 Minner Ave.) 12 noon to 4 p.m., and a graveside service will be held on Friday, May 10, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. at the Bakersfield National Cemetery, in Arvin. Vester Louis Burris was born March 5, 1935 in Eric, Oklahoma to Earl Wiley and Sadie Elizabeth Burris. He passed away April 27, 2013 in Bakersfield, California with his family by his side.

Vester is survived by daughters, Debbie Burris and Vickie Anderson; extended sons and daughters; Jamie, Kenny, Alaura, Melinda, Allen, Laurie, and Michelle; brother George Robert Burris, and brother Glen Burris; 14 grandchildren Sherri, Allen, Adam, Amanda, Christopher, Kenny, David, Nicole, Josh, Amber, Ashley, Alex, Amber and Melanie; 13 great grandchildren, Bree, Karrina, Terry, Jr., Daniel, Tommy, Makala, Andrew, Miranda, Larry, Jr., Reagon, Keyan, Heaven, and Xavier; and 3 great-great grandchildren, Audrey, Bella and Zane. He is preceded in death by brothers and sisters, Albert, Jesse, Hazel, Edith and Edward.

Vester joined the U.S. Army in 1954 earning a Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal and several other honorable service medals. After his service during the Korean Conflict, he moved to Arizona and worked 15 years in the copper mines of Hadden, Arizona. In the 1980’s, Vester moved to Bakersfield and began working in the oilfields as an operator. Vester was a hard worker, and enjoyed having a few beers with his friends. He enjoyed eating out, especially country fried steak with his friends at the Sugar Mill where everyone there called him “Victory”. He was a man of his word, he meant what he said and when he said it, he meant it! Whenever he got “a notion to go”, “he would go”, which got him the nick-name of “Gypsy Feet”. But, more than anything, he loved his grandchildren and spending time with them. His grandchildren were the light of his life and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them. He will be missed by all those who knew and loved him.