William Sylvester Burrus

William S. Burrus, Colonel U.S. Army (Ret.), died at home on September 8, 2021 in Raleigh NC. He was born in Middletown, NC in 1930 to William Pell Burrus and Laura Carter Burrus. He was predeceased by his parents and two brothers, Robert and Charles, and a sister, Margaret. He is survived by his wife, Dorinda, three sons (Carl, Craig, and William), his brother (James), seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

His story is both extraordinary and typical of someone growing up in the rural south during the depression. He worked picking cotton, potatoes, and other crops while in grammar school and then as a janitor and store clerk during high school to help his parents and buy clothes for school. Unable to afford a college education, he delivered ice after graduating high school before joining the Army in 1948. He was sent to Japan and worked as a clerk typist in General Headquarters in Tokyo. After failing to pass the entrance exam at the Naval Academy Prep School and missing the West Point entrance exam by one point, he went to Washington DC and convinced his Congressman to give him another appointment to West Point. That determination and hard work was on display for the rest of his life and served as an example for all that knew him. He graduated from West Point in 1955 as an Infantry officer and proudly served his country for next 29 years with tours in Germany, France, and two tours in Vietnam. He had friendships with classmates from West Point that lasted the rest of his life.

Throughout his life, he remained a devoutly religious husband, father, and grandfather. He was active in his church, attending zoom meetings of his bible study group after COVID-19 started. He and Dorinda started a tradition of a family beach trip that has lasted 21 years and now includes grandchildren, their spouses, and, just this year, a great grandchild joined the gathering. He was married to the love of his life, Dorinda Berry, for 64 years. He often said that she won his heart when she cooked him dinner and served him home made dinner rolls that later became a standard for family celebrations. The things that remained constant throughout his amazing life were his faith, love of family, belief in hard work, and pride in his service as well as his gratitude for what it did for him.

A memorial service for William will be held Wednesday, September 15, 2021 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 1701 East Millbrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27609.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in William's memory may be made to Army Emergency Relief, 2530 Crystal Drive, Suite 13161, Arlington, Virginia 22202 US, https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/donate/.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.brownwynneeastmillbrook.com for the Burrus family.