Burnell (Buster) Lee Holcomb passed away Jan. 18, 2021 in Muskogee, Okla. at the age of 91.

Burnell was born on March 19, 1929 in Helena, Mont. He moved to Michigan from Montana at the age of six with his family. Later in life he worked on a ship as a Merchant Marine, worked as a crane operator and served in the Army during the ending of the World War II. Then Burnell met Wauneta, married and settled down in Michigan, where he went into farming like his father and grandfather.

In 1969 Burnell, Wauneta and their son bill moved to the Wages community in Colorado to their new farm/dairy. Shortly after the move, their son Brian was born. Burnell worked on the farm/dairy until a farming accident happened causing him to be in the VA Hospital in Denver for a couple of years. Once he was able to come home, he and his son Bill continued farming and raised livestock.

After retirement from the farm, he worked in the community as a mechanic/jack of all trades at Big A Auto Parts, Bob’s Mower and helped many neighbors. In 2014 Burnell and Wauneta moved to Oklahoma to be closer to their son Bill and wife Barb.

Burnell loved to play cards especially Pinochle at family gatherings for endless hours. If you could not find him in the house watching old westerns on the TV, watching the birds especially the red cardinals and hummingbirds in his backyard though the window, he would be out tinkering around in the garage or he would be in the yard caring for his roses. He also might be out terrorizing the community in his golf cart.

Burnell is survived by wife Wauneta, Kellyville, Okla .; sister Barbara Liebler, Phoenix, Ariz .; sons Bill Holcomb and wife Barbara, Kellyville, and Brian Holcomb, Las Vegas, Nev .; grandchildren Cory Holcomb and wife Bridget, LaSalle, Chad Holcomb and wife Marla, Hamilton Mont., Carisa Jorgensen and significant other Harley Palmer, Sand Springs Okla .; great-grandchildren Hailey, Kiana, Tyson, Caitie, Kaila, Nevaeh, Sierra, Emmy, Brooke and Jack; and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces along with his adopted family Dean Brom and wife Barb and children Boyd Smith and wife Jessie and their four children.

Burnell is preceded in death by his father Lloyd Holcomb; mother Eva Holcomb; sister Geneva Gagnon; brother Keith Holcomb and wife Wava and brother-in-law David Liebler.