John Clement (Clem) Burdick III, Ph.D., P.E.

November 2, 1942 - December 12, 2019

John Clement (Clem) Burdick III was born on Nov 2, 1942 in Union City, TN to John (Jack) Clement Burdick, Jr. and Lucille (Lassiter) Burdick. He passed from this life on Thursday Dec 12, 2019 at the age of 77, after an extended illness. He lived a Full Good Life and will be greatly missed by a very large group of Family and Friends who will Remember him with Much Love and Great Affection until we meet again at our appointed times. Clem was raised in Union City, TN along with his sister Becky (Burdick) McLaughlin and a very large group of close relatives connected by his Grandmother who was one of the four Moore Sisters who all lived in the area. Clem graduated from Union City High School in 1960 and followed his father’s footsteps by entering Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN and by joining the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity at Vanderbilt. At Vanderbilt Clem obtained a BE Degree in Civil Engineering in 1964; a MS Degree in Sanitary Engineering in 1967; and a Ph.D. Degree in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering in 1971.Whle completing his Ph.D. Dissertation he held a special research appointment with the US Army Corps of Engineers to develop a method for predicting water quality changes over time in a new impoundment. During his career he has over 300 publications and presentations covering energy/environmental policy analysis and strategy development; air and water quality control and permitting; solid and hazardous waste management; water resources management; environmental impact assessment; coal leasing; mine permitting and reclamation; and emergency planning. From 1969 to 1975 Clem served as Professor of Civil Engineering at The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in water/wastewater treatment systems and air/water/hazardous waste; and water resources management. During this period Clem married Sherry Winter and they had two sons: John (Jack) Clement Burdick IV and William Steven (Steve) Burdick. In 1975 they had a peaceful divorce and Jack and Steve Burdick stayed in Knoxville and completed High School and moved ahead to College. From 1975 to 1979 Clem served as Chief of the Environmental Assessment and Compliance Staff for the Tennessee Valley Authority based in Chattanooga, TN. He coordinated EIS documents and Compliance Programs for Fossil, Nuclear, and Hydroelectric Power Plants; R and D Projects; Land Development; and Western Uranium Mining. From 1979 to 1981 Clem was Manager, Permits and Siting/ Water and Solid Waste Services for a national consulting firm: TRC- Environmental Consultants, Inc. in Hartford, CT and Denver, CO. He directed a wide array of Consulting Services for government, industry, mining, and electric utilities. However, due to the significant national economic recession that reduced consulting opportunities, Clem began to explore other employment opportunities. From 1981 to 1998 Clem served as Director, Environmental, Safety, and Regulatory Affairs for Kerr-McGee Coal and Uranium Operations owned by Kerr-McGee Corporation, a Fortune 500 Energy and Chemical Company with $3 Billion annual sales located in Oklahoma City, OK. He coordinated environmental, reclamation, safety programs for two Wyoming surface coal mines and one Illinois underground coal mine. In 19997 KM Coal was the seventh largest coal producer in the US. These mines earned two Excellence in Surface Mine Reclamation Awards from the US Sec of Interior; an OSM Reclamation Hall of Fame Award; and a MSHA Sentinels of Safety Award. During this time Clem married Gloria (Klick) Tindall and became Stepfather to her Sons (Chris, Mark, Devlin Tindall) and her Grandson (Cory Tindall). Gloria later passed away after a long and courageous fight against lung cancer. After Kerr-McGee Coal and Uranium operations were sold in 1998, Clem took early retirement from Kerr-McGee and resumed his Consulting Activities (J. Clement Burdick, Environmental Engineering and Management Consultant). He has served as a Consultant to a wide variety of government and industrial clients. His Consulting Activities included: Devon Energy Corp; OK Corporation Commission; US Amy Proving Ground at Yuma, AZ (depleted uranium munitions remediation); Industrial Swine Waste Management; KM Corp (recovery of advance coal royalties); Steel Mill Wastewater Management; Industrial flood damage litigation support. He also taught Remedial Math courses for ten years as an Adjunct Professor of Math for Rose State College and the University of Central Oklahoma. Clem is currently serving his fourth seven-year term by Governors appointments on the Oklahoma Mining Commission where he is currently Vice Chairman. He has continued to be actively involved with the State and OK County Republican Parties working to promote increase Voter Involvement and Turnout. Clem married Jane Emily (Ross) Stammer on Mar 24, 1997 and they celebrated their 21st Anniversary in 2018.They had a Wonderful active life together in Edmond and enjoyed traveling with friends in America and to several foreign lands. Jane had two Daughters: Jennifer Lee (Stammer) Nettle and Janna Beth (Stammer) Haas. Very Sadly Jane passed away on June 19, 2018 after a very extended illness involving multiple brain surgeries. Clem is survived by his two Sons (Jack and Janene Burdick and their children – John, Joy, Joshua, and Jillian in California) and (Steve and Malissa Burdick and their children – William and Sarah Grace in Tennessee). He is also survived by Jane’s two daughters (Jennifer and Derek Nettle and their daughter Sophie Lynn Nettle in Edmond) and (Janna and Mike Haas and their daughter Elena Beth Haas in Colorado). He is also survived by his sister (Becky and Scotty McLaughlin in Texas). He is also survived by the Tindalls (Chris, Mark, Devlin, and Cory Tindall). And he is also survived by a very large number of nieces, nephew, cousins and their families. And he is survived by a very large group of Friends and Supporters. Clem led a Full and Wonderful Life with Untold Numbers of Blessings. He always said, “I Did It My Way with The Help of GOD”. According to Clem’s wishes his body will be cremated and will be buried alongside his wonderful wife Jane at Gracelawn Memorial Cemetery in Edmond, OK with a Private Graveside Family Service on Saturday Jan 4, 2020. A Gathering of Family and Friends in Celebration of Clem’s Wonderful Life will be held following the burial service at First Presbyterian Church of Edmond on Saturday Jan 4, 2020 at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers Donations in Memory of Clem Burdick may be made to the International Missions Fund at the First Presbyterian Church of Edmond where Clem was a long time Member to assist their efforts on spreading GOD’s Word throughout our World. Their address is 1001 South Rankin St., Edmond, OK 73034 (405-341-3602). Such Gifts would Surely Honor Clem’s Lifelong Goal of Doing Good for Others.