Obituary of Wesley D. Burdine

Benton, LA - A memorial service for Wesley Darius Burdine will be held 5:30 PM, Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at Boone Funeral Home-Bossier. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time, and one hour after the service. Officiating will be Pastor Jon Tellifero of First United Methodist Church of West Monroe. Wesley was born February 25, 1928 in Gulfport, MS. His family later moved to Sterlington, LA where he attended elementary school and later high school at Ouachita High in Monroe, until he enlisted in U.S. Army/Air Corp in 1945 at age 17. After serving three years during Berlin Air Lift in Fritzlar Germany and various other bases, he returned to Louisiana attended Northeast Junior College in Monroe. After college, he became a salesman for National Cash Register Company and attained "Salesman of Year" award in 1950. Tired of travel, he moved to Bossier City, LA in 1960 and became affiliated with C.L. Maddox and Jim Larkin building and selling homes in Bossier City and neighboring towns. Burdine and Associates was formed in 1965. He married Margaret (Peggy) Gray in 1960 and became involved in many, civic, political, social or military organizations including; Chamber of Commerce, where he served as President and Military Affairs Chairman, Louisiana Real Estate Commission, Shreveport-Bossier Board of Realtors, Bossier Parish Police Jury, VFW Board Federation, Bossier and Benton Lions Club, Bossier Parish Heart Association, Convention Tourists Bureau, State University Chair of Real Estate, Ambassadors Club, Governor's Liaison to Barksdale Air Force Base, and other civic and social organizations. He was a 32nd Degree Mason Ambassador of El Karubah Shrine Temple in Shreveport. After moving to Benton in 1989 he became active in Benton United Methodist Church, the Grumpy Old Men Sunday School Class, and his life-time love of animals resulted in Cypress Area Zoo. He also served as board member and President of Cypress Black Bayou Lake Watershed Commission. Wes was preceded in death by his mother, Lillian Walford Burdine; father, John Burdine; sister, Evelyn Burdine Fowler and brother, Charles Burdine. He is survived by sister, Ruth Burdine; son, Wesley Randall Burdine and wife Christie of Jacksonville, FL, daughter Cynthia Diane Burdine Tatum and husband Todd of West Monroe, LA; granddaughter, Lauren (Dani) Danielle Burdine Brown and husband Jordan of Bossier City, LA; granddaughters, Kelsey Savannah Tatum, Anna Camille Tatum of West Monroe, LA; grandson, Benjamin Wesley Tatum of West Monroe, LA; great-granddaughter, Bella Renea Brown of Bossier City, LA; and two step-grandchildren, Jordan Long and Sarah Long Adham and husband Michael of Jacksonville, LA; and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Cypress Zoo, 135 Cypress Park Drive, Benton, LA 71006, or Shriners Hospital for Children at 3100 Samford Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71103