Ernest R. Burnette

Ernest R. Burnette, a minister of the gospel of Christ, insurance agent and resident of Sugar Hill and Commerce, GA passed away at home surrounded by family on December 2, 2019 at the age of 85 after a brief but courageous battle with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Ernest is survived by his wife of 61 years, Carolyn Petty Burnette and his children Stan Burnette (Connie), Kim Gibson (Ken) and John Burnette (Jenny), all of Buford, GA. Ernest and Carolyn were blessed with 14 grandchildren Niki Ganick (Chandler), Chase Burnette (Caitlin), Jake Burnette (Jessica), Adaline Burnette, Kyle Gibson (Crystal), Kelly Romine (Greg), Kayne Gibson (Audrey), Keyton Gibson, Abby Gibson, Triston Gibson, Bailey Oakley (Austen), Ben Burnette, Betsy Burnette, and Josie (Jiang Xi, an honorary grandchild with full rights and privileges). Ernest lived to enjoy 10 great grandchildren. Ernest was born September 4, 1934 in Boles, KY to C.E. and Blanche Burnette who preceded him in death along with brothers James Wilson and William (Corky) Burnette and sisters Ora Parsons and Mary Addie Hinson. Ernest grew up in Celina, TN and made his mark in athletics as a quarterback on the football team, center on the basketball team and pitcher/infielder on the baseball team for the Celina High School Bulldogs. He graduated from CHS in 1952. He considered his greatest achievement in those early years to be when he won the heart of Carolyn Petty who took him up on his proposal to marry him in 1958 after a stint serving in the Army in Korea. Ernest graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1959 and loved supporting the Big Orange as a football season ticket holder for many years. The son of a preacher with the churches of Christ in Clay County, Ernest, along with his bride, made working for the Lord a priority as they worshipped with churches of Christ in Knoxville, TN, Roanoke, VA (where Stan was born), Lynchburg, VA, Johnson City, TN (where Kim was born), Louisville, Ky, again in Knoxville, TN (where John was born) before arriving in Norcross, GA in 1967. Together with Jim and Bonnie Montgomery, they planted the Commerce church of Christ in 1973. Commerce was their home base on and off for almost 50 years while living, at times, in Jasper, Cumming, Sugar Hill and Buford. Ernest was the founder of Burnette Insurance Agency, Inc. in Norcross in 1971. An accomplished insurance consultant, Ernest grew the business and was joined by his oldest son Stan in 1981 and later Kim (1987) and John (1990). In 1996, the business was passed down to Stan, Kim and John who still actively operate the business in Suwanee, GA today. In 1986, Ernest and Carolyn felt the need for spreading the gospel was so important that they moved to New Plymouth, New Zealand to work with the church for two years. While there, they made many shorter mission trips throughout the South Pacific to islands like Tonga, Fiji, American Samoa and Kiribati where the good news of Jesus Christ was shared to all who would hear. After returning from the south Pacific, Ernest and Carolyn turned their eyes toward Eastern Europe as it opened to western missionaries in the early 90's. Hands were put the plow in Cherkassy and Kiev in the Ukraine for many years before beginning to work with a preacher training school in Narayangarh, Nepal in the 2000's. Ernest and Carolyn's mission work was split between the Ukraine and Nepal works where they served until Ernest was diagnosed with an aggressive strain of cancer in the summer of 2019. Ernest, with Carolyn faithfully by his side and in relatively little pain, peacefully passed to his reward after spending his final days enjoying time and memories with his family and friends as they visited him at home. He was a blessed man in life and in death. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 5th at 2:00 pm with a memorial service beginning at 3:00 pm, in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Commerce Church of Christ, Foreign Missions Fund P.O. Box 753 Commerce, GA 30529.