Charles Allen Burnham, 80

Charles Allen Burnham was born Sept. 18, 1932, in Chicago, Ill. He passed away peacefully at the age of 80 years old on Jan. 18, 2013, in Coeur d'Alene. As an infant, he moved with his parents, Charles R. and Margaret Bea Burnham to their hometown of Devils Lake, N.D. He played clarinet in the Boy Concert Band.

He was on the Satan Football Team that played Bismarck for the State Championship in 1949. "We lead every quarter but the last one." Upon graduating from Central High in 1950, he moved with his parents to Troy, Mont.

He then attended Gonzaga University in Spokane. He studied engineering, math and ROTC. He played in the band and was on the Rifle Team. In January 1954, he married high school sweetheart Lee Carol Madsen at St. Aloysius Church in Spokane. In the Spring Semester of 1954, he was appointed Cadet Commander of the GU ROTC regiment.

In May 1954, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps. He reported for active duty in September 1954, at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. In December 1954, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

He went on to serve in Alaska, the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky., a Logistics Advisor to an ARVN infantry division in Vietnam and an Army Reserve Advisor in Michigan. While in Michigan, he also attended Eastern Michigan University where he received a B.S. degree in math. He also served in Germany and with the JFK Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, N.C. While there, he attended the Special Forces Officers course and was the Distinguished Graduate. He was assigned to Korea and again to Germany. After serving as the Director of Supply at Sharpe Army Depot in California, he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in September 1976. He also studied at the University of Utah, from which he received an MBA degree.

He married three times, his first wife Lee Carol Madsen; his second wife, Marilyn Previn and his third wife, Ellen Stoppler. He is survived by two loving daughters-in-law, Shelley and Charmaine; son-in-law Larry and son Charles. Yates Funeral Homes has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements.

He Is Now With God And With All Who Have Gone Before Him.