Mr. Alonzo Merritt Burns, age 80, of 100 Blue Water Place, Lavonia, died November 24, 2007 at Hart County Hospital.
Born January 3, 1927, in Athens, GA, he was the son of the late Alonzo Hay Burns and Mary Hill Burns. He is a graduate of Athens High School in 1943, and Georgia Institute of Technology in 1950 with a degree of Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering.He was employed by Douglas Aircraft Co. (later McDonnell Douglas) in Long Beach, CA, Tulsa, OK, Charlotte, NC, and Titusville, FL; Lockheed Aircraft Co. Marietta, GA; and Fairchild Aircraft Co. St. Augustine, FL and Clearwater, FL. Career experience was in the fields of aircraft and missile design, management and production programs, including C-124, C-133, RB-66, Nike Hercules, Nike Zeus, and Dragon battlefield anti-tank missile. He retired from McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co., Titusville, FL in 1983, and moved to Lavonia, Franklin Co., GA in 1985. He served in the United States Air Force, 1945 to 1947.
Survivors include children: Janice Marie Burns Dunning of Cary, NC, Alonzo Merritt Burns, Jr. of Green Pond, SC, Andrew James Burns of Bremen, GA, & Daniel Gilbert Burns of Isle of Palms, SC; grandchildren: Lisa Burrell, Meredith Dunning Decker, Nathan Dunning, Greg Burns, Chris Burns, Rick Burns, Jessica Burns Gaines, Kristin Burns, Ashley Burns, Brittany Burns, & Carrie Burns; and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at the Lavonia Chapel of Strickland Funeral Home with the Rev. Richard Bielski officiating. Cremation will follow the service. The family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. until the service hour.