Rev. Marshall Burnett

Rev. Marshall Burnett
July 17, 2024
Rev. Dr. Marshall E. Burnett Jr., 98, former pastor of Tylertown United Methodist Church, died at his residence in Hattiesburg July 17, 2024. The last four years of his life were spent at Brookdale Assisted Living in Hattiesburg.
Dr. Burnett, a native of Meridian, graduated from Meridian High School in May of 1943. Shortly after graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. After training at Camp Shelby, in Hattiesburg, he was stationed for three years in Burma, India during World War II.
Education was always a focus of Dr. Burnett and his family and, upon his return from the war, he entered college and graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson. During his college years, he met his future wife, Lynn Wilson Burnett, and they were married Aug. 27, 1950.
The couple moved to Durham, NC, where he received a bachelor of divinity degree in 1956 from Duke Univesity. Upon graduation, they moved back to their home state and Dr. Burnett served the United Methodist Conference of Mississippi as a pastor for over 55 years. While serving full-time in the ministry, he continued his pursuit of education and graduated with his doctor of education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1981. He served more than 15 congregations in central and south Mississippi and, in retirement served as a visitation pastor and hospice chaplain. He fully retired from the ministry at the age of 83. The collection of sermons he preached during his 55 years are archived at the Library of William Carey University.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. and Mrs. Marshall E. Burnett, Sr., a brother, Rev. James P. Burnett, and his wife of 65 years, Lynn Burnett. He is survived by a brother, Dr. Joe G. Burnett, four children (Walter, Carol, Lillie and Ben), five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren.
Strickland-King Funeral Home in Yazoo City is in charge of arrangements. His celebration of life was July 21, 2024, at Black Jack Baptist Church in Vaughan, burial in the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory to the Julia Goodwin Burnett scholarship at William Carey University. Questions regarding donations can be directed to (601) 318-6526.