Professor Bill E. Burnley, 80, of Murray, died Monday, April 1, 2013 at Baptist Health of Paducah.
Born on December 10, 1932 in Kevil, Kentucky, Professor Burnley graduated from high school in Neelyville, Missouri, and then served for four years in the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea, Korean War, and aboard the submarine USS Requin. He graduated from Central Arkansas University with degrees in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics. He completed coursework for his doctorate degree, ABD, in Stellar Evolution at Arizona State University. Professor Burnley taught Astronomy and Astrophysics at Murray State University from 1965 to 1996, and was awarded the MSU Regents Award for Excellence in 1995. During his 32 years at Murray State, he established the first undergraduate Astrophysics program in the U.S., which then served as a model for future programs. Following retirement from Murray State, he taught Astronomy at West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah for 11 years. Internationally, Professor Burnley presented numerous seminars on Astrophysics at the University of Costa Rica.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Willie Lee and Ora Mae (Casey) Burnley, brothers Daniel, Lewis, Jack, O.T., and David, and sister Edna (Burnley) Darnell.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Marie Burnley, Murray; a son, James Burnley, Louisville, Kentucky; two daughters, Anna Burnley (Dean Stoddart), Tallahassee, Florida, and Mona Simone, Louisville, Kentucky; two brothers, Wayne (Jackie) Burnley, Jackson, Mississippi and Charles (Susan) Burnley, Searcy, Arkansas, one sister, Mary Ella (Burnley) Epps, St. Louis, Missouri, one sister-in-law, Sylvia (Bean) Burnley, Searcy, Arkansas; and three grandchildren, Kazimer Tapp, Zosia Tapp, and Bella Burnley Stoddart.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, April 5, 2013 at the Imes-Miller Funeral Home in Murray. Rev. Phillip McClure will officiate. The committal service will be held at 3:00 PM on Friday at the Kinsey Cemetery near Neelyville, Missouri. Military rites will be observed.
The family will receive visitors between the hours of 5:00-8:00 PM on Thursday at Imes-Miller Funeral Home.
