Victor Bryant Burdick, 83, of Noank, beloved husband of 63 years to Kathleen (Valentine) Burdick passed away Monday, Sept 26th at home.
Vic (“Tom” to family and old friends) was a native Noanker, born on Elm Street in 1928 and moved to Davis Court on West Cove in 1935. Leaving school at 15 he spent the rest of his life working long and hard, paying attention to the details, becoming the intuitive engineer and master craftsman. He could fix or build anything. A man’s man, ready for anything physical or adventurous, he was also the most loving softie with family, friends and pets. In Noank in the ‘50s and ‘60s his Great Pyrenees “Mickey” had the run of the village from Noank School to the Universal grocery store.
Vic joined the Merchant Marines, shipping on the Liberty Ship Booker T Washington, and then joined the 82nd Airborne as a paratrooper. He felt his thirty-three year career at Electric Boat was his finest tour, where, “we built the best ships with the finest people”. Starting in 1951 as an electrician’s helper working for his father Thomas Eugene, as an electrician he participated in: the clean-up of the Chalk River, Canada nuclear accident; two tours to Idaho to build the USS Nautilus (SSN571) reactor prototype and one tour to NY to build the USS Seawolf (SSN575) prototype. Promoted to operations management in the 60’s, Vic was ship’s manager for numerous SSBN and SSN new construction submarines and concluded his career as engine room area manager for 688 Class construction. Vic was honored by the company as “trigger man” for the launching of SSN709, Hyman G Rickover.
While proud of his EB career, he was most proud of his family, and always put family first. Though working twelve-hour days he still found time to play pirates in the NY woods, and would stop around on the roof with sleigh bells on late Christmas Eve so the children would know Santa was near. Boats and sailing were his life-long avocation, so summers were filled with cruises to Maine and the Massachusetts islands. Working third shift allowed day time hours for building seawalls and the dock, and the endless effort of trying to keep ahead of the 1820’s home. After retirement Vic and Kathleen did extended cruising, including three cruises to Florida.
Vic was pre-deceased by his brothers Herbert and Leroy. Along with wife Kathleen, he is survived by his sisters Alicia Crossman with husband Errol of Noank, and Vivian Smith with husband Franklin of Noank. In addition, he leaves behind son Bryan and wife Therese of Noank, son Wayne with wife Joyce of Mt Pleasant SC, and daughter Rev. Victoria with partner Verne Ray of Groton. Also surviving are granddaughter Sarah Caron with husband Jeff and great-grandchildren Richard and Rebecca of Plymouth NH; grandson Joshua with wife Jolynn and great-granddaughters Madeline and Samantha of Nashua; granddaughter Amanda Simas with husband David and great-grandson Connor of Warwick RI; and granddaughter Morgan Morrone with partner John Lavigne of Berkley CA. The list of loved and loving extended-family and friends spans the country from Hawaii to Florida to Maine.
Always one for a party, Vic’s life and love will be celebrated at Noank Baptist Church Friday, Sept 30th at 11:00am. His family will greet relatives and friends at The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic on Thursday, September 29th, from 4pm to 6pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Vic’s name may be made to the Noank Baptist Church and/or the Noank Historical Society.
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