Tommy ‘Tom’ LaVerne Burnett

Tommy (Tom) LaVerne Burnett was born on June 18, 1934, the second of 5 children to Lester and Edith (Goodell) Burnett at the Fairview Farm outside Nashua, Iowa. He passed away on August 22, 2019, at the Nora Springs Care Center at the age of 85. He received his schooling at Mitchellville, Iowa and Rockford High School, graduating in 1951. In December 1968, he was married to Carol Lynn Drewry Losee and became the step father of Kevin Losee. Tom and Carol had one son, Greg Burnett.

Tom went into the Army on February 19, 1956 and served until December 13, 1957. He then worked with his father in the plumbing and heating business and drove trucks for Clark Soverign. He worked in farm chemicals at the Rockford Coop and Dave Shipman’s business in Rudd. He then went into his own plumbing business and used his backhoe to put in many, many sewer lines in Rockford. He later worked for the city as the water and sewer superintendent. Tom spent many evenings visiting and playing on the floor with his little friends: Kevin, Brett, Aaron and Greg B. He also enjoyed the time he spent with Wayne, John, Jack, Cork, Lefty, Deacon, Bob, and Don. He loved to fish and didn’t care what else was going on if somebody wanted to go fishing. In later years he found the casinos and went there every chance he could. In his last week with us, he went to Northwood to the casino on Thursday, to Rudd Lake for a picnic and fishing on Friday. On Saturday the stroke took him.

Maybe Tom’s greatest love was for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He just shone when they were around.

Tom is survived by his wife, Carol, his sons, Greg, and Kevin (Julie) Losee, his grandchildren Mallory (Adam) Oppermann, Selena Losee and Ethan Losee, his great-grandchildren Noah and Avery Oppermann, his brothers Dick (Louise) and Roger (Gayle), nieces and nephews and lots and lots of cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Jerry and their sister Beverly Gersema, and nephews Douglas and Kenneth Gersema, Dale Burnett, Richard Burnett and Thomas Burnett.

Tom was quiet, a man of few words, but he loved his family and friends with all his heart.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 pm on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at Fullerton Funeral Home, 302 West Main, Rockford. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm with a one hour prior visitation on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church, 21 3rd St NW, Rockford. Pastor Dennis Burns will be officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Rockford.

Fullerton Schumburg Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 302 West Main, Rockford, Iowa 50468 641-756-3311, www.Fullertonfh.com.