Final Salute

Jan. 4, 1925 – Sept. 19, 2020
Capt. James A. Burfield, CEC, U.S. Navy Ret., passed away Sept. 19, 2020 at the age of 95 in Milwaukie, Ore., after a brief illness. Nephew Pat Tindall and his wife Cherie of Fairview, Ore., were with him at his passing.
He was born in The Dalles to Dudley and Minnie Mae Burfield, where he grew up during the Depression until moving to Portland. He attended Jefferson High School, which he left in his senior year (1943) to join the U.S. Navy. He served for 31 years. While visiting Portland on leave after WWII, he was introduced to the love of his life, Patricia Ann Graham of Medford and 29 Palms, Calif. They would marry in 1948 and spend the next 26 years together in the Navy- a total of 12 moves, covering four states and three foreign countries. During this time, they would raise their four sons, James Roderick “Rod”, William Bradley “Brad”, Dale Graham and Curtis Brent.
Jim rose to the rank of Captain in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps (Seabees). Among his assignments were Commanding Officer of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 in Port Hueneme, Calif.; CO, Naval Public Works Center, Yokosuka, Japan; and he retired in 1974 as the CO of PWC San Diego. He was a Vietnam and WWII veteran, receiving two Legion of Merits, two Meritorious Service Medals and the Naval Commendation Medal.
After retirement, he remained in San Diego working as the campus engineer at the University of California at San Diego, and then for several local engineering firms. Eventually, the couple moved to Brookings, Ore., in the mid-80’s where they built their home overlooking the Pacific Ocean. They were active in the Chetco Senior Center and other local non-profit groups. In 2009 they moved to Lake Oswego, Ore., to be closer to family.
His beloved wife, Patty, passed in 2019 after 71 happy years of marriage. Jim was preceded in death by Patty; sister, Darlene Tindall of Portland; son, Dale of Escondido, Calif.; and granddaughter, Alison Burfield of Charlotte, N.C. He is survived by sons, Rod (Diane) of Falmouth, Mass., Brad (Valerie) of Oak Park, Ill., Curt (Becky) of Woodbridge, Calif.; 12 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Capt. Burfield will be interred with his wife at the Willamette National Cemetery. Services will be held when allowable.
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Published in The Oregonian from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25, 2020.