That which imbues significance to endeavors is the shared love of another.
That which imbues significance to life is the shared love of God.
Hal had both.
His love for Mary Jane will persist long beyond the twelfth of never. Persistence is his watchword.
Hal is survived by his wife and love of his life, Mary Jane Wyatt Kittle Horsburgh, by his brother Gates Trotter Horsburgh and his wife Kay, of Bel Air, Maryland, and by his extended family of children, grand children and great grand children: Lisa Deanne Horsburgh Powell, her husband Mark and children Kenny and Garret of Phoenix Arizona –James Barwick (ne Dean Allen Horsburgh), his wife Vivienne and daughter Jacqueline of Singapore - Sheri Lynn Horsburgh Lewis and her husband Troy of Washington, DC - Kaye Frances Kittle Howell of Simpsonville South Carolina and her children Jennifer Guy Hawkins Zimmerman, her husband David and children Presley-Jane, Reese, Lillie and Blake of Taylors South Carolina, John T. Guy III (Trace) his wife Jena and children Isaac and Evelyn of Greenville, South Carolina, Taylor James Howell of Simpsonville, SC, and Ashley Howell Weaver and her husband Will and their children Willah and Sophie of Memphis, Tennessee - Robert Cloyd Kittle his wife Cathy Jean (CJ) and children Wyatt and Benjamin of Columbia, South Carolina - Harry Mark Kittle his wife Janice of Moreland, Georgia and children Adrian Rogers and children Bentley and Kennedy of Coloma, Wisconsin, Tashana Rogers Lombardo and her husband Chris and children Riley, Aiden and Lucas of Newnan, Georgia and Sean Rogers and his wife Cristin and daughters Charlotte and Tillie of Liberty Missouri.
Hal is predeceased by his parents Sarah and Gordon Horsburgh of Washington, DC, and by his older brother Gordon Horsburgh of Mobile, Alabama and sister Sarah Waugh of Niceville, Florida.
Hal and his first wife, Nancy Godwin Horsburgh Barwick Holte, had four children, Teresa Dawn (deceased as an infant), Lisa Deanne, Dean Allen (James Barwick) and Sheri Lynn. They were divorced in 1970, which act, and the church’s reaction to it, shook his faith in the practice of religion so badly he never recovered; but his faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ never wavered - by His grace, Hal was born again and saved. Hal was rescued from his worldly despair by Mary Jane, whom he met and fell in love with in 1970, and married in 1993 – as I said, persistent. “Mary Jane and our extended family have provided the foundation for my happiness.”
Born in Washington DC, Hal grew up in several states in the East and Midwest, lived in several states in the East and far West, finally coming to the Atlanta area in 1968. His formative years were in Memphis, Tennessee where he attended Central High School where he formed and captained the Jr. ROTC drill team, and where he was active as a Cadet in the Civil Air Patrol.
Hal attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville for his freshman year. Then started over as a Cadet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. After his junior year he transferred to the University of Maryland receiving his Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering degree after only nine years of college -- as I said, persistent.
Hal was continuously employed from age 9 until his retirement in 2017 holding jobs from chopping wood to washing cars to delivering newspapers to running mortar to loading film into developing machines to selling bibles, cutlery and real estate to electronics technician to Air Force Academy cadet and airman to Professional Aerospace Engineer (one of the few registered in Georgia). His major career was with Lockheed Martin spanning 40 years from 1968 to 2008, and finally with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA ) as an Aircraft Structures Certification Engineer -- as I said, persistent.
Hal’s passions included photography (well, never mastered, although he was very good at taking pictures of people’s backs), soaring (well, more like gliding with him at the controls) that he learned from his friend and mentor Steve Lindenbaum, and choral singing (well, more making a joyful noise) with the Decatur Civic Chorus (which has become his extended family) all of which he has pursued relentlessly for nearly his entire life -- as I said, persistent.
While Hal's watchword was "persistant," his family and friends would be the first to tell you it wasn't just a slogan or something he told himself, he lived that word. He was always there when anyone needed anything, ready to help however he could. Whether it was helping his children with homework and science fair projects or helping colleagues at work solve complex problems, Hal was always there.
He was also one of the smartest people you've ever met, but you would never hear that from him because he was also incredibly humble.
Hal had a true servant's heart. If the measure of someone's life is the number of people he helped, there's no question that, upon arriving in heaven, Hal was told, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
A service will be held Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 2:00 pm at the Chapel Mausoleum at Floral Hills Memory Gardens.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.floralhillsfuneral.com for the Horsburgh family.
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