ERNEST C. 'ERNIE' BURGIN, JR., 88, of 299 West Housatonic Street,
Pittsfield, a longtime resident of Pittsfield, died Sunday, November 9, at Hillcrest Commons where she had resided since February 2007.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, March 22, 1920, a son of Ernest C. Burgin, Sr.,
and Mertha [not Martha] Vines Burgin, he was educated in Birmingham schools and was a 1938 graduate of Phillips High School. He earned a bachelor of science degree in physics from Auburn (Alabama) Polytech Institute and was a Phi Beta Kappa member at Auburn University.
A World War II veteran, he served in the United States Army from June 10, 1942
to February 28, 1946. He was a 2nd Lieutenant with the Signal Corps and served tours of duty in New Guinea and the Philippines.
In 1951, Mr. Burgin went to work for General Electric Company and was a
manager in the Ordnance Division, he worked on the Polaris Missile. He retired in 1983 with 32 years service. Following his retirement, he worked at Canyon Ranch in the men's spa area. He was a communicant of the former Notre Dame Church until its yoking with St. Joseph's Church.
He was a member of the G.E. Elfun Society. He enjoyed traveling with his wife
throughout Europe, visiting churches there, and especially enjoyed traveling to France and Italy where he made many friends. While in France, he attended the Bicentennial of the French Revolution in Paris. He also enjoyed photography and art. Mr. Burgin leaves his wife, the former Annette LaCroix, whom he married
July 30, 1965, in Malta, New York. Besides his wife, Mr. Burgin is survived by a son, Christopher Burgin and his wife, Elizabeth, of Pittsfield; a daughter, Virginia Honetor and her husband, Jerome, of St. Cloud, Florida; a sister, Minnie Horner and her husband, James, of Tempe, Arizona.
He was pre-deceased by a sister, Ernestine Lawless, late of Birmingham.

FUNERAL NOTICE: A Liturgy of Christian Burial for ERNEST C. 'ERNIE' BURGIN, JR., who died Sunday, November 9, will be Thursday, November 13, at 9:00 a.m., at St. Joseph Church, celebrated by Rev. Msgr. Michael A. Shershanovich, Pastor. Burial will be at a later date in St. Joseph's Cemetery. The family will receive friends, beginning at8:30, at the Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Mr. Burgin may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society or to the Auburn University College Fund Scholarship both in care of DERY FUNERAL HOME, 54 Bradford Street, Pittsfield.

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