Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Lee Burkhart Jr, United States Army,
age 79 of Oviedo, Fl, passed away peacefully in his home on the
morning of Saturday, February 1st, 2025, after bravely battling a
lengthy illness. He will be forever loved and deeply missed.
He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Brenda, daughter
Michelle, son-in-law Luis, and his beloved grandchildren, Aaron
(15), and Christopher (10). He was preceded in death by his son,
Christopher Burkhart.
Ralph was born on August 10th, 1945, to Doris Jean Hurst and
Ralph Burkhart Sr, in the small town of Lexington, Missouri. At the
age of five his family moved to Kansas City, Mo, before eventually
settling in Raytown, Mo, where he graduated from Raytown Senior
High school in 1963. Ralph started Cub Scouting at seven years old,
earned his arrow of Light, and became a Boy scout in troop 128,
Kansas City, Mo, in the Heart of America Council. He earned the
rank of Eagle Scout in 1961 and was also a member of the Order of
The Arrow and a Hard Way Warrior in the tribe of Mic-O-Say.
Ralph is a highly decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam war, where
he served as a combat commander, an Army Ranger, and paratrooper.
For his actions in combat he was awarded the silver star, the nation’s
third highest decoration for heroism and valor in combat, the Purple
Heart, and multiple bronze stars.
It was after he returned from Vietnam in July of 1969 that he married
Brenda Kay Adam’s, the love of his life.
Ralph received his Bachelor of science degree from the University of
New York. He was then nominated and approved by the senate to
receive a regular Army Commission. He continued his education
receiving his master’s degree from Purdue University and post
graduate school at the prestigious U.S Army War College. Ralph’s
military career took him and his family all over the country, but it was
after completing his work at the US Army War College that he was
assigned as the Commanding Officer and Professor of Military Science
at his Alma Mater, Purdue University. He then finished his military
career at the United Nations Command in South Korea.
Following retirement after 28 years in the Army he joined the
faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston as a
senior research project manager at MITs Charles Stark Draper
laboratory. There he managed the development of technologies for
improved warfare and soldier protection and was assigned to the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Wanting to leave behind the snowy winters of Boston, he relocated to
the tropical weather and sunshine of Florida. Here he joined Science
Application International Corporation (SAIC), a Fortune 500 defense
contractor. During his time at SAIC, he was appointed as vice
president and later served as corporate vice president. Retiring from
SAIC in 2012, he started his own company, Business Solutions Group
of Orlando, which functioned to consult government agencies on
national security, defense, domestic preparedness, and technologies to
improve our country’s defense posture.
As an adult, Ralph continued to be an active member of scouting. He
believed in the values of scouting and wanted to give back to the
program that gave him so much. He served in a variety of leadership
positions from being the Scoutmaster of his sons Troop in Lafayette,
IN, serving on the 1989 National Jamboree staff, and taking part in
the 1991 World Scout Jamboree in Seoul, Korea, with his son
Christopher, also earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
It gave him immense joy when he was able to continue the family’s
scouting tradition with his grandson Aaron. He served as Aaron’s Den
leader throughout Cub Scouts and was Pack committee Chairman for
Cub scout Pack 631. Most recently he was active in Boy Scout Troop
787 and served as unit commissioner for the Central Florida Counsel,
as well as a counselor for a variety of merit badges. Ralph considered it
a privilege, and one of his greatest accomplishments, to be able to
mentor so many young scouts over the years.
A celebration of life will be held at the Oviedo Women’s Club located
at 414 King Street. Oviedo, FL 32765, On Sunday, March 30th, from
1pm to 5pm. All are welcome. A funeral with full military honors will
be held later at Arlington National Cemetery, where he will be laid to
rest with dignity and honor.
In lieu of flowers consider making a donation to wounded warrior
project, https:// www.woundedwarriorproject.org/. This charity’s
purpose is to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of
severely injured service men and women; to help severely injured
service members aid and assist each other; and to provide unique, direct
programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service
members.
