Colonel Wallace "Wally" Arthur Burkett, United States Air Force Retired, passed away at his Epworth Manor-residence in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, on January 9, 2015. He was 96.

Born to Ethel Nora Packer and Walter George Burket on October 15, 1918, Juniata Borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, this uneventful birth would prove in so many ways to be only the beginning for Wally. Before long, just a handful of family and friends would call him Wally. Ultimately he would be known as Colonel Wallace A. Burkett.

Colonel Burkett was a 34-year man—a highly decorated veteran who saw action in the European and Asian theatres of operations through three wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam; awarded 21 medals including Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, and Silver Star. He survived five plane crashes, one resulting in his internment as a German prisoner of war for two years and another floating for 33 hours in a one-man dingy in the South China Sea.

Colonel Burkett was raised in Bellwood and Tyrone, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Tyrone High School and completing one year of undergraduate studies at Penn State University, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1940.

His service began with the Third Cavalry, F-Troop, also know as "The President's Own." F-Troop provided escort duty, presidential horse shows, ushering for the White House, and duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Subsequently, he left the cavalry, applied, was accepted, and served in the Army Air Corps, a precursor to the United States Air Force. He received his officer's commission in wartime, which may have been enough for a lesser man, but Wallace worked and studied steadily through the years until he finally earned his college degree in political science from the University of Omaha in 1967.

While stationed as a pilot at Fairfield Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, Wallace married Katherine (Kay) Alexander on December 3, 1952. A son, Stephen, was born who became his pride and joy. Sadly, the marriage ended and, over the years, father and son lost touch.

On April 19, 1965, Wallace married an aviator, Rosemarie Currior and, together, they raised her two children: Ruthann Currior and David Currior (deceased).

Additional assignments included teaching at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and a visiting professorship at Texas A&M University in Austin.

After retirement on August 31, 1975, Colonel and Mrs. Burkett resided first in Austin, then in Fredericksburg, Texas, for the next 22 years. He continued flying for private companies during this time.

Colonel and Mrs. Burkett then relocated to Millersville, Pennsylvania in 1997 to be near family. There he became active in local politics and continued his work as a visiting professor at Millersville University.

Rosemarie passed away on October 9, 2004.

By now, Colonel Burkett was firmly ensconced at Epworth Manor across the hall from his dear sister, Mrs. Eleanor Clark, a widow. It was during this period that he reconnected with his first wife, Kay. They became good friends, spending many hours on the phone with one another. This long distance relationship evolved into an overdue reconciliation with his son, Stephen. A subsequent reunion allowed Wallace to enjoy his son and meet his daughter-in-law for the first time.

Colonel Burkett had come full-circle. At Epworth Manor brother and sister enjoyed each other's company just as they had as children. With Eleanor's, and the Family's encouragement, Wallace recounted his interesting and unusual military experiences in his book: "Surviving Nine Lives", including:

His three-year assignment as a direct aide to Admiral John McCain Sr, the Commander-in-Chief-Pacific Fleet (CincPac), at the height of the Vietnam War, which proved a singular challenge. Colonel Burkett was briefing the admiral when the message came in that Lt. John McCain, the admiral's son, had been shot down in Hanoi.

Colonel Burkett's assignment with The Strategic Air Command in Omaha, Nebraska, resulted in his involvement with high-level echelon briefings during the height of the Cold War. Most notable was his personal briefing with President John F. Kennedy.

Also in "Surviving Nine Lives" Colonel Burkett laid the mystery of the extra "t" in Burket to rest for the Burket family: while applying for a to-secret clearance, military records showed an extra letter "t" in Burket, thus making him a Burkett. Bureaucratic protocol impeded the process to correct this fauxpas, a correction which could deny him clearance, so the two "t's" remained.

Wally's interests included reading, flying, relating war stories, teaching Sunday School, eating Gardner's candies, golf, piano, listening to music, and watching old movies.

Wallace is survived by his son, Stephen Burket and his wife Gaylan of Plano, Texas; step-daughter Ruthann Currior Barr and her husband Sammi of Virginia; sister, Eleanor Clark of Tyrone, Pennsylvania; brothers Alton Burket of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Chalmer Burket of Seattle, Washington. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Ethel and Walter Burket; brothers Ray Stanley Burket, sisters, Vera Mae Burket, Verna Jean Burket and Sarah Jane Burket.

Funeral service for Wallace A. Burkett will be Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 11 AM at the Richard H. Searer Funeral Home Inc., 115 W. 10th Street, Tyrone, Pennsylvania with Pastor Mark Liller and Reverend Norman E. Huff officiating. The Tyrone Honor Guard will conduct their service and flag presentation. Private interment will follow in Burket Cemetery, Warriors Mark, PA. Friends will be received at the funeral home from 10 AM until the 11 AM service. Please call them at 814-684-3216 for information on directions and parking.