An engineer's mind turned to poetry in retirement

By MELANIE AVE, Times Staff Writer
Published October 16, 2007

HUDSON - Even in their grief, their father's corny poem makes them smile.

It's called Ketchup.

By Edward S. Burgess

When you first hit the ketchup bottle

First, none will come out

Then a lottle

"He wasn't funny, like a standup comedian funny," said daughter Joyce Burgess Bartlett. "He was punny."'

"He was a wordsmith," added son Bruce Burgess. "He loved words. His poetry gave him an outlet."

When electronics engineer Edward Burgess retired and moved to Florida in 1980, he focused his creative energy on words. He turned many of his observations about world hunger, politics, grandchildren, tennis and aging into small but thoughtful poems.

He wanted the world to be a better place and believed problems could be solved with level heads, love and understanding.

* * *

The son of two teachers, Edward Burgess grew up an avid reader and athlete in Rochester, N.Y.

With only a high school diploma, he taught himself about two-way communications. The Navy recruited him during World War II for top secret radar projects, his family said. He received several patents, including one for a TV chip that makes a better picture.

When he needed a home for wife Shirley and their four children, he designed and built a two-story, four-bedroom stucco. It took him two years.

"It was over engineered like you wouldn't believe,"son Bruce said, chuckling. "I remember growing up with the full encyclopedia of construction. Anything at all, he'd read about it and figure it out."

* * *

When his children were young, Mr. Burgess would often drop the family off at church on Sundays and go play tennis.

He was self-taught, of course, and earned several medals through the years before his doctor told him to quit playing at age 88 for health reasons.

He wasn't a religious man, but his children say he was a good one.

Mr. Burgess suffered a stroke Thursday and died Saturday. He was 92.

At his funeral today, his family and friends will marvel at his intellect and his crafty tennis skills.

They'll talk about the tall, stoic-looking man with the gentle and kind manner who "acted on his belief that God is love," Bruce said.

And naturally, they'll laugh a lottle when they recite a poem about a ketchup bottle written by dear old Dad.

Melanie Ave can be reached at mave@sptimes.com or 727 893-8813.

Biography

Edward S. Burgess

Born: Aug. 24, 1915.

Died: Oct. 13, 2007.

Survivors: wife, Shirley; children, Glenn, Bruce and Richard Burgess and Joyce Burgess Bartlett; and five grandchildren.

Service: Noon today, Prevatt Funeral Home, 7709 State Road 52, Hudson 34667.

[Last modified October 15, 2007, 22:45:30]