Name: John W. Burgeson (Burgy to most people)

Married to a great lady, Carol (Carol Lee Royal). We met in first grade, in Youngstown, Ohio. Carol graduated with an MDiv degree from the Iliff School of Theology, Denver, Colorado in May of 2003, served as an intern in the Durango (CO) First Presbyterian church (PCUSA) for a year, then was ordained in November, 2004 as the pastor of the Rico Community Presbyterian Church, Rico, Colorado, serving until December 2006. Since that she has continued to serve as guest minister on an occasional basis.

We have eight fine kids, Benjamin (spouse Jamie), Becki (partner Rebecca), Samuel (wife Lesa), Elizabeth (husband Tommy Hilbun), Anna (husband Kelly Barnes), David (wife Nicki), Daniel (wife Kim) and Mary Lee. Three of them are adopted; I forget which ones.

Twelve fantastic grandhildren, Jason, Kristin (husband Shawn Turner), Zachary, Ashlee, Erin, Cortnei, Cassie, Cody, Joey, Remy, Emmalynn and Joseph John (JJ).

One great grandson, Grayson Lee Turner.

Lived in: Youngstown, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tallahassee, Florida, Panama City, Florida, Cleveland, Ohio, Akron, Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio (again), Wheaton Illinois, Boca Raton, Florida, Delray Beach, Florida, Georgetown, Texas, Austin, Texas, Durango, Colorado, Denver, Colorado, again in Durango, Mancos Colorado, Houston, Texas and now in Lago Vista, Texas.

Education: BS & MS in Physics, Carnegie Tech (1953); Florida State Univ (1955)

Career # 1 as a physicist with the government, 1955-56, researching war machines.

Careers # 2, 3, 4 & 5 with IBM, 1957-1992. Applied Science Representative, Computer Systems Engineer; Planner; market research...

Active in the Civil Rights movement of the early and mid 60s. (When anyone is oppressed, I am oppressed)

Career # 6 as an independent consultant, 1992-1994, in market research.

Retired in 1994.

Member of the ASA (American Scientific Affiliation) for for over 35 years.

Presbyterian (PCUSA) , with close ties to Southern Baptist (son Samuel is a minister in that denomination), Quakers, ELCA Lutheran, (brother Paul is a minister in that denomination), Church of God, and other past denominations. Currently worship with St. Peter's Episcopal, a small church near our home.

Retired sysop on Compuserve's RELIGION forum after a ten year stay.

Addicted (as is Carol) to baseball and sports cars and ever learning more and more about how to walk in Jesus' footsteps. One of these learning experiences came for both of us a few years ago as we participated in a "Walk to Emmaus." These weekend happenings are put on by Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists, and others; they are based on a Catholic experience back in the 50s. Recomended without reservation.

Retired Stephen Minister from First Presbyterian Church, Durango, CO.

I picked up a motto from an article about the columnist "Dear Abby."

Different is good.
Tolerance is essential.
Acceptance is better.
The closest you will ever get to real godliness
is standing up for someone who is not like you.

I like that. Here is another:

Hear the evidence.
Take counsel.
Deliberate.
Reach your decision.
Then go ahead with an easy heart; the person who forever is afflicited with doubt defrauds himself/herself of the day and of life.
-- Edmond Cahn, on page 55 of THE MORAL DECISION, 1955.

Cahn writes later on (pg 262):
Lose your heat, little man. Others have been dogmatically certain before you, and they have been mistaken. ... There is no man so righteous that he can never err ... ."

Finally, this great quotation from Oliver Cromwell:
"I beseech you, brothers, by the bowells of Christ, consider if you may be mistaken."

Burgy