Charles (Charlie) Dean Burnside, 78, of Peachland NC passed away after a short illness on November 11, 2021. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, Charlie was the only child of Dean and Mary Burnside. He graduated from W. Thresper Clarke High School in East Meadow, NY in 1961. He continued his education at The Citadel in Charleston SC graduating in 1965 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. While at The Citadel he was a member of St Alban’s vestry and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. After graduation Charlie spent his career with Carolina Power and Light’s Nuclear Engineering Department at the HB Robinson Plant in Hartsville SC. He also ran his own shooting supply company B&J Distributors and was a Federal Firearms License holder and a NC and SC concealed weapons instructor. Charlie was a member of Oasis Shrine Temple, Charlotte NC; Member, Excelsior Lodge #261, Charlotte NC; Life member Ruby Lodge #314, Life member NRA, Vestry member St David’s Church, Cheraw SC, and longtime advisory board member St Albans Chapel, at The Citadel.
Charlie’s love of The Citadel was evident whenever you were around him. His Citadel friends were his family and he gave much of his spare time in service The Citadel Alumni Association where he was a life member and had also served as a local club president. He was also a longtime member of The Brigadier Foundation, The Citadel Alumni Association Board of Directors where he was a District Director for over 25 years and had been awarded District Director of the Year in 2006 by The Association. Recently Charlie was selected as Distinguished Life Member of The Citadel Alumni Association and was recognized posthumously at this year’s Citadel Homecoming.
Surviving are two cousins, Heidi Alicia Dembinski of San Francisco, CA. and April Anne Forwood of Miami FL. Also surviving are his friends Chapman Wiley Lucas and Kristine Kopacka Lucas and their children William and Luke Lucas of Charleston SC along with his many friends and fellow alumni of The Citadel and his friends and fellow members of The Cedar Creek Gun and Cigar Club.
A memorial service for Charlie was held on November 20, 2021 at St David’s Church in Cheraw SC and his ashes will be buried beside his mother in Rutherfordton NC. Memorials may be made to The Citadel Foundation for St Albans Chapel at 171 Moultrie St., Charleston SC, 29409
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