In loving memory of
John Howard Burdakin
August 11, 1922 - September 11, 2014
John Howard Burdakin
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- John Howard Burdakin, 92, a retired president of Grand Trunk Western Railroad and a longtime resident of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, died on September 11, 2014, at Cottage Grove Place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 4, 2014, at Northbrook Presbyterian Church, 22055 W. 14 Mile Road, Beverly Hills, Michigan. Cedar Memorial in Cedar Rapids is in charge of the arrangements. Send any memorials to: Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Michigan, 26777 Halsted Rd., Suite 100, Farmington Hills, MI 48331. Or: Northbrook Presbyterian Church 22055 W. 14 Mile Road, Beverly Hills, MI 48025.
John was born on August 11, 1922, in Milton, Massachusetts, to L. Richard and Martha Rogers Burdakin. He graduated from MIT in 1947, after completing military service and married Jean Moulton on October 2, 1948 in Milton, Massachusetts.
They lived in 16 cities in 23 years as Mr. Burdakin's career advanced with the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1960-61 Mr. Burdakin managed the Panama Canal Railroad in the Canal Zone for 15 months. The Burdakins moved to Michigan in 1970, and Mr. Burdakin served as president of the Detroit-based Grand Trunk Western from 1974 to 1986 before retiring as vice-chairman of Grand Trunk Corporation in 1987.
In 1992, Mr. Burdakin became the first railroader to be inducted into the Michigan Department of Transportation's Hall of Honor. He and his wife lived in Bloomfield Hills, where they were longtime members of the Northbrook Presbyterian Church and Bloomfield Hills Country Club. They spent 20 winters in Naples, Florida. Mr. Burdakin volunteered at William Beaumont Hospital and served on the hospital's Board of Trustees for many years.
The Burdakins moved to Colorado Springs in 2010. Mr. Burdakin moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in October 2013.
Mr. Burdakin was dearly loved by the family he cherished. He is survived by three sons, Dr. John Burdakin Jr. and wife, Cynthia, of Denver, Colorado, Dave Burdakin and wife, Kim, of Chicago, Illinois, and Muscatine, Iowa, and Dan Burdakin and wife, Cheryl, of Atlanta, Georgia; six grandchildren, Julia Burdakin Privett and husband, Brian, of Cedar Rapids, Michael Burdakin, Thomas Burdakin, Nicole Burdakin, Jenna Campbell Dietrich and husband, Kris, and Brittany Campbell; and one great-grandson, Evan Privett.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife; his parents; and two sisters.