Rev. Robert L. “Bob” Burdett, 83, of Boyers, a highly respected Church of God of Prophecy Bishop and retired Pastor, went to be with the Lord Tuesday afternoon, June 4, 2019 while in the company of his loving wife and family at Butler Memorial Hospital.
Robert was born in Ford Cliff, Armstrong County, on February 6, 1936. He was the son of the late Edward and Annie Spencer Burdett. Bob was a 1954 graduate of Ford City High School, and was a US Air Force Veteran. In his earlier years he had been employed with various tree trimming companies, and later Pullman Standard in Butler. Bob was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy in Fertigs and enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading, and most especially the company of his family and church family.
In July of 1970, Bob graduated from the Bible Training Institute of the Church of God of Prophecy in Cleveland, Tennessee and entered into the ministry. He pastored churches in New Castle, Delaware; Morgan City, Louisiana; Abingdon and Herald, Virginia; as well as Karns City, Fertigs, and New Athens in Pennsylvania. Rev. Burdett was ordained as a bishop on June 25, 1976. Bishop Burdett retired from full time ministry in August of 2001. On Tuesday afternoon Pastor Burdett most assuredly heard the words of Jesus “well done thou good and faithful servant”
He is survived by his wife, Esther E. Bowser Burdett whom he married June 20, 1957. Also surviving are two daughters, Sandra L. Glass and her husband, Paul, of Knox, and Rhonda L. Gifford and her husband Larry, of Boyers; two grandsons, Aaron E. Glass and his wife Kimberly of Knox, and Justin A. Gifford of Boyers; four brothers, Wendell Burdett, and his wife Veda, of Ford City, Rev. Edward Burdett, of Monongahela, Ronald Burdett and his wife Margie, Liverpool, OH, and James Burdett and his wife Mae of Arizona; brother in law and sister in law, Owen and Lydia Bowser of Kittanning, as well as a number of nieces, nephews, cousins and many brothers and sisters in the Lord.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers and sisters in law, Stanley and Louise Burdett, and Marlin and Nancy Burdett, a sister and brother in law, Ruth and Rev. Charles Blaniar.
Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home of Karns City, 128 Main St. Karns City from 1-3 and 6-8pm Friday, and from 10-11am Saturday at the Church of God of Prophecy, 1510 Kittanning Pike, Karns City. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. with Rev. Ronald Roudebush and Rev. Alan Ion, Church of God of Prophecy Bishops, officiating. Interment will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Sugarcreek Township, Armstrong County. Memorial Contributions in Rev. Burdett’s memory may be made to the Fertigs Church of God of Prophecy, 113 Winwood Lane, Venus, PA 16364, or to the Karns City Church of God of Prophecy, 1510 Kittanning Pike, Karns City, PA 16041.
For more information, or to send a condolence, please visit www.hilefh.com.