Herbert Francis Burnap

Lake Geneva: Herbert Francis Burnap went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on March 15, 2020.

A public visitation and Celebration of Life service is pending due to the COVID-19 virus. A private family/ military graveside service will take place in Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove, Wisconsin at a later date.

Herb was born on November 24, 1940 at the Texas Maternity Home in Ft. Worth, Texas. He was adopted by his loving parents Samuel Dowd Burnap and Lucille Speegle Burnap of Taylor, Texas on December 9, 1940. Herb had one sibling, his sister, Sammie. Herb grew up and attended school in Taylor, Texas. He was a proud Taylor Duck and was active in choir, football and track and field. He was chosen for the state choir in 1959 and directed the choir at First Baptist Church. After two years at Baylor University studying music and theology, Herb decided to join the Army. He was stationed in Wurzburg, Germany and served on the HAWK missile unit. After leaving the Army in 1964, he met the love of his life, Rita Sharon Simons. They were married on December 19, 1964 in Taylor.

Herb and Rita had two children: Heidi Karin Burnap and Samuel Dowd Burnap II. Together they lived in various cities in Texas (Huntsville, Denton, Katy and Houston) as well as Toronto, Canada and Youngstown, New York. Herb and Rita have lived in Lake Geneva since 2003, enjoying being close to their kids and grandkids. 

Herb was passionate about football and loved to watch games with his kids and grandkids, as well as attend his grandson, Monty’s games in person. He could tell you the Superbowl score from 20 years ago. Herb loved his time in the Army and that influenced his love of order and cleanliness; Sam and Heidi were regular workers in his Saturday morning work detail. He loved military history and collected and read many books on that subject, among others. Herb loved to read. One of his favorite places to visit was the Dayton Air Force Museum, and Rita can tell you more about that place than you would ever want to know. His favorite holiday was Thanksgiving: family, food and football. That says it all. But most important to Herb was his faith in Jesus Christ. He became a Christian at a young age and followed Christ all of his 79 years. After retiring from Moore Business Forms as Director of National Accounts after 35 years, he went on to become an ordained minister and worked as the Associate Pastor at Alliance Bible Church, McHenry for the last 15 years of his life. 

Herb is survived by his wife of 55 years, Rita, his two children, Heidi (Mark) Gremmer of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Samuel (Blanca) Burnap of Downers Grove, Illinois, his three grandchildren, Emily Burnap, Montgomery Burnap and Molly Gremmer, and his sister, Sammie Biar of Pflugerville, Texas. He was proceeded in death by his parents.

To post an online condolence please click the "Share a Memory" tab on the left side of your screen.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Herbert Francis Burnap, please visit our floral store.