Alan Arnold Burghardt

Alan Arnold Burghardt of Clinton, CT passed away on Sunday, June 14, 2026 at the age of 86. Alan was a lifelong resident of Bridgeport, CT until he retired to Clinton with his family in 2002. Growing up in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, Alan spent his days playing with his friends, boating on the water, camping with his family, and causing trouble, as he often said.

Alan graduated from Bassick High School in 1957 and entered the US Navy as a Sonarman, serving on the USS Vogelgesang and USS Robinson. He loved being on the open ocean and prided himself on the photos he took while he traveled the world. If you got Alan talking, which was not a difficult feat, he enjoyed telling stories about the countries he visited, the people he met, the food he ate, the crazy things they sometimes did, and the sights he got to see. Some of his favorite stories included the time a local Englishman had to sit on the hood of a car directing them where to go while they drove through fog so thick that no one could see the road, or impressing the French locals with his ability to drink multiple cups of espresso, or the time he met a young woman who to this day he thinks was Dolly Parton.

After leaving the Navy in 1962, Alan worked as a hardware salesman and mechanic, working for businesses such as Lindquist Hardware and Aspetuck Valley Country Club, before eventually retiring from L&R Power Equipment of Monroe, CT. Alan’s true passion in life wasn’t his day job though, it was the hobby that kept him busy after work - building 18th and 19th century wooden ship’s models from scratch.

What began as a hobby, eventually became his career in retirement. Alan took enormous pride in the models he built, carefully researching every vessel he chose to build, reading countless books, and visiting libraries and museums. He would spend hours in his workshop, creating masterpieces that would eventually end up in museums, art galleries, and in private collections. People often asked him, “how long do they take you to build?” Sometimes months if he was lucky, but for some, it took years. Alan’s passion was seen in the intricate details of each piece he created by hand.

Alan’s legacy (as he liked to call it) lives on in the models he built and donated to the Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer House Museum of Stonington, CT. As a descendant of Nathaniel Palmer, Alan was intrigued by the fleet of ships the captain had sailed, and so he worked tirelessly re-creating each one, with the intention of donating them to the museum. If pride was an article of clothing, then Alan wore his pride well.

Alan Burghardt is preceded in death by his parents Anne (Anderson) Burghardt and Arnold Palmer Burghardt. He is survived by his wife, Carol (Crabtree) Burghardt, daughters Bridget Magri and Dina Burghardt, son-in-law Andrew McGrath, and granddaughter, Alexandra McGrath.

A private family gathering will be held to celebrate Alan’s life. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Stonington Historical Society