After graduating from high school, Chaplain Ivan Burnett received a Bachelor’s Degree from Millsaps College and a Master of Divinity Degree from Yale University. He then served churches in Mississippi and Arizona, earned a Doctor of Ministry from the School of Theology at Claremont, CA, wrote and published a book, and in 1973 was commissioned as a Navy Chaplain. Eight years prior to retiring in 1999, he reached the rank of Navy Captain (06). Duties included his being the Senior Chaplain of the USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN-40) and two other ships, including an aircraft carrier, and serving as the Senior Chaplain of MCAS, Yuma, AZ; 1st Force Service Support Group, Camp Pendleton, CA; Long Beach, Naval Station; and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, 29 Palms, CA. Military decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), and the Legion of Merit.
Prior to entering the chaplaincy he served churches in Grenada and Clarksdale, MS, and in Scottsdale and Buckeye AZ, and was the founding pastor of a mission in Gila Bend, AZ. Since retiring as a member of the Desert Southwest Annual Conference, he has taken courses on therapeutic massage and holistic health and courses in Spanish, as well as composing music, teaching marriage enrichment courses, and serving on numerous church boards and agencies, including a United Methodist camp for persons with AIDS and their partners. His music has been performed in churches from Colorado and Arizona to Virginia.
He is presently serving on the Board of Directors of The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church and on The United Methodist Endorsing Committee, the committee that gives the final stamp of approval for all chaplains and pastoral counselors of his denomination.
In 1967 he married the former Joanne Evelyn Munsil, a second generation Phoenician, an author, and a professor of pediatric nursing. They are the proud parents of Dr. Daniel Burnett of Lilburn, GA, and the Reverend David Burnett of the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference of the UM Church, presently on disability leave due to multiple sclerosis. Ivan and Joanne retired to Tucson in 1999 and have used most of their time since retiring to fix up their house and yard, grow home grown tomatoes, assist their son with multiple sclerosis, assist aging mothers, and visit their grandchildren in both Arizona and in Georgia. Ivan loves to cook, travel, learn, and keep his brain active.
He would love to hear from any of you. His addresses are injburnett@comcast.net; P. O. Box 32553; Tucson, AZ 85751-2553.
In Celebration of MHS Class of 1958
Friday, July 25, 2008
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3 comments:
What an impressive career and life. I am glad you shared this with us.
It is certainly very interesting to see the divergent paths so many of our classmates took and how far some have climbed in their pursuit of a higher purpose in life.
I am happy to hear about your life, which has been very interesting and very successful. Harry and I look forward to seeing you and your wife in October.
Wow! Ivan, you've left absolutely nothing for the rest of us to do.
Seriously, what a jam packed life you've led so far —with no indication in your auto-bio that you have any intention of slowing down.
(strictly speaking, by using 3rd person, it really is a biography, as you've posted)
What a full, interesting life you've led: enriching the lives of others while, at the same time, enriching your own. Good for you!
Thanks so much for posting this. And I'm glad you've told us so much about your family, too. I'm sure they are proud of you. As well they should be.
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