Tuesday, March 20, 2012

4 Years

Paul A. Burdette, 95, of Elkview was born July 26, 1912 as son of Braden B. Burdette and Grace Young Burdette and went home to be with the Lord on March 20, 2008 at home after a long illness. He has joined the Lord, his wife, Mary Bell and his son, David in his eternal home.


He was the former owner and manager of Ashmore Optical which closed in April 2007. He worked as an optician in the Charleston area for over 75 years. He started his optician apprenticeship with American Optical, and later worked for Mr. Cotton at Cotton Optical. He started at Ashmore Optical after WWII with O.L. Ashmore who promoted him to the position of dispensing optician. In 1957, he purchased Ashmore Optical Co. and retained the name of the company. He was a long term member of the Guild of Opticians and took great pride in his work. He enjoyed many of his customers over the years and always looked forward to solving their optical needs with the help of his beloved employees, who had all worked with him for the last 30 years.

During the summers, he looked forward to his weekends waterskiing and boating on the Kanawha River with family and friends. His leisure time was otherwise spent mowing his lawn astride his Power King mower and working outside. He was also an avid reader when weather would not permit him the luxury of being outside.

He served in the Navy as Chief Petty Officer on a destroyer during WWII and crossed the Atlantic 42 times during his term of duty. He was a member of Charleston Baptist Temple where he enjoyed many a church weekend retreat and the special Sunday School classes.

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