Kennith Ray Burgess, 74, passed away unexpectedly early in the morning on February 13, 2022 at St. Mark’s Hospital. He was born March 26, 1947 in Price, Utah, to James Ivo Burgess and Cleo Elaine Hitchcock, the eldest of five children.
Ken attended schools in Price, graduating from Carbon High School in 1964 and the College of Eastern Utah, AS, in 1969. He attended the University of Utah one year; then graduated from Brigham Young University in 1981 with a degree in civil engineering.
He married Virginia Blackburn on July 15, 1977 in the Provo Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were blessed with three children: Susie, Jim, and Becki.
Ken served in many church positions, including: teacher, executive secretary, temple worker, elders quorum president, and cub master.
Ken began work for the Department of Transportation as a surveyor. After graduating from BYU he worked for Uintah Engineering in Vernal, Utah; then moved back to Price where he worked again for UDOT. Ken advanced to field engineer and transferred to Fillmore to work on the Interstate and was promoted to project engineer, and the family moved to Meadow. He transferred to Salt Lake City in 1996 in preparation for the 2002 Olympics and retired in 2009. We have lived in West Valley City for 24 years. Ken was proud of the work he did on the roads of Utah and would point out his projects to us throughout the state.
Ken enjoyed fishing, hunting, and camping. His model train track ran around the basement and he enjoyed working with wood. He could cook and occasionally even used the sewing machine.
Ken is survived by his wife Virginia and children Susan Barnard (Charles), James, Rebecca Franco (Luis), and his beloved grandchildren: Virginia Holladay Barnard, Chason Louis Barnard, and Alisia Sophia Franco. He is also survived by siblings Paul, Bruce (Nona), and Diane Rock (Don), brother-in-law Jeff Williams, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Deborah Williams, sister-in-law LeRee Stuart Burgess, and niece Mary Elizabeth Burgess.
Services will be held February 19, 2022 at the Hunter Copperhill Stake Center, 6710 W 4145 S, West Valley City, Utah. The viewing will be 9 to 10:45 a.m., and the funeral will follow at 11. Burial will be at Memorial Redwood, 6500 South Redwood Road, Taylorsville.
Please use the following link if you would like to attend electronically:
http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/saltlakehuntercopperhillstake
Flowers should be delivered to the stake center; or make a contribution to your favorite charity.
Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 4:00 PM – 5:45 PM
Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM