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BURBRIDGE, John 1927-1981

BURBRIDGE, JENNINGS, MILLER, HANSEN, TOVAR, BUSBY, DAVIS, WITHERS

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 2/3/2014 at 00:32:26

[Waterloo Courier, Tuesday, January 13, 1981]

Services for John Burbridge, 53, of Lake Charles, La., formerly of the Waterloo area, are pending at Parrott and Wood Funeral Home.

He was killed Monday night in an oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico near Lake Charles.

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[Waterloo Courier, Tuesday, January 13, 1981, p.3]

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) A former Waterloo, Iowa, resident was killed Monday after a partly drilled natural gas well blew out and forced dozens of men into the frigid waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Most of the rig's workers plunged into the gulf, and authorities said 30 minutes in the cold water killed John Burbridge, 53, of Lake Charles and formerly of Waterloo.

The rig burst into flames Monday night, about eight hours after the blowout that sent 31 rig workers scrambling overboard, said Coast Guard spokesman Jim Munro. Spokesmen for Placid Oil Co. of Houma. La., which owned the well, could not be reached for comment.

Burbridge's heart stopped while he was being transported by helicopter to a hospital and only emergency machinery kept it working until 7 p.m., said hospital spokesman Stephen Folkson. "The guy was really in bad shape. I don't know what his temperature was, but it was in the 80s." In all, four helicopter loads of survivors were taken to the hospital.

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[Waterloo Courier, Wednesday, January 14, 1981]

CEDAR FALLS—Services for John Burbridge, 53, of Lake Charles, La., formerly of the Cedar Falls area, will be 2 p.m. Friday at Parrott and Wood Funeral Home, Waterloo, with burial in Greenwood Cemetery. He was killed as a result of an oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico Monday night.

He was born July 5, 1927, in Bristow, son of John and Ruth Jennings Burbridge. He married Shirley Ann Miller Aug. 13, 1954. in Hopkinton. He formerly was employed by Viking Pump Co. At the time of his death he was employed by General Marine Catering Co. of New Orleans. He was a veteran of World War II.

Survivors include a son, Kent of 920 W. First St.; a daughter, Corlene of 707 Lincoln St., Waterloo: a half-brother, Harvey Hansen of Denver, Colo.; two sisters, Mrs. Betty Tovar of 2036 Ashland Ave., Waterloo, and Mrs. Margaret Busby of 6050 Camolet Drive. Waterloo; and two half-sisters. Mrs. Alfred Davis of Answorth, Neb., and Mrs. Mary Withers of Shell Rock.

The Waterloo VFW and American Legion posts will conduct flag-folding rights at the cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Thursday.


 

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