UPDATED 2/4/2023:
Jan ‘pronounced Yon’ Fridrichsen passed away on Tuesday 1/17/2023 at M.D. Anderson in Houston.
Jan was a longtime member of the Georgia Tech BHM Network and an active participant in its activities. Jan was retired from Southern Nuclear Operating Company. He was preceded in death by his wife Lisa. A celebration of life service will be in early Spring.
UPDATED: 2/4/2023:
Daniel (Dan) Wise passed away on January 20, 2023 at the age of 88. He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His life events included graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Business Administration. He also obtained an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). His working career included technical writing at Dow Chemical in Midland, Mi, RCA and Morton Thiokol working on space programs in Huntsville, Al. He then finished his career with Southern Company Services in Birmingham, Al. He retired after 21 years with SCS. After retirement he wrote the newsletter for retirees for 20 years. He became a Fellow with STC (Society of Technical Communication) after 30 years of service. He was a long time member of Vestavia Methodist Church serving in many capacities. For hobbies he wrote gag lines for cartoonists which several were published. He volunteered for WBHM radio reading the newspaper for the blind, was a runner for Just for Feet, provided mystery shopping services for various corporations, wrote stories and corrected family members for using incorrect English.
He is survived by his wife, Myrna Wise after 67 years of marriage, (They were high school sweet hearts), his 2 sons, Scot Wise (Joan), of Cumming, Ga, Steven Wise of Kingsland, Ga, and 1 daughter, Kathryn Kirk of Homewood, Al. 9 grandchildren, Tonya Wise, Ashley Wise, Erin Wise, Dr Kevin Wise, Jacob Wise, James Kirk, David Kirk, Max Andrews, and Tally Vodicka (Gabe), and 4 great grandchildren.
Visitation is scheduled at 1:00 pm followed by the memorial service at 2:00 pm, on February 10th,. 2023 at Vestavia Methodist Church, 2061 Kentucky Ave, Vestavia, Al 35216 in the sanctuary.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the food pantry operated by the church that provides meals to families in need.
William Edward Burns, 74, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023 in Birmingham, Ala. Born October 15, 1948 in Spartanburg, S.C., he was the son of the late John Milton Burns, Sr. and Launa Harris Burns, and the husband of Susan Landers Burns. He graduated from Lafayette High School in Lexington, Ky. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1970 with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, where he was a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. After completing additional training at the Naval Nuclear Power School, he served on the U.S.S. James Madison (SSBN-627) and as an instructor at the Submarine 1st Generation Westinghouse (S1W) prototype reactor at the Naval Reactors Facility outside Idaho Falls, Id. After receiving an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1976, he joined Georgia Power in Atlanta, Ga. as a nuclear engineer and later transferred to Southern Nuclear Operating Company in Birmingham, Ala in 1988. He retired in 2014 after holding various management positions in nuclear licensing and probabilistic risk assessment.
Following his retirement, he was a devoted husband, selflessly caring for his wife Susan throughout her struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Susan Landers Burns, and his brother, John Milton Burns, Jr. Survivors include his son, Michael Edward Burns and his wife Sarah Bryant Burns of Arlington, Va.; sisters Patricia Burns Seifert of Tavernier, Fl. and Launa Christine Burns of Columbus, N.C.; five nieces; and four nephews.
Visitation begins at 11 a.m. and a graveside service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 at Little & Davenport Funeral Home in Gainesville, Ga. Burial will be in Alta Vista Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Click here to link to the funeral home obituary.
Deborah Ann Gregory was born on December 6, 1950 in Amma, West Virginia. She was lovingly adopted by Delbert and Mildred Gregory of Charleston, West Virginia. She graduated from Charleston HighSchool in 1969. Was married to Richard J Vatovec on June 23, 1973 becoming Deborah G. Vatovec. She attended Jefferson State Junior College for about a year. Debby was very active in our Catholic Parish lady’s groups for church support and craft fairs. Both Debby and Rich were active in Church choirs at Our Lady of Lourdes and Holy Infant of Prague parishes. Debby was loving and giving. When friends had a new baby, were out of the hospital or fighting cancer, She was the bunny with a care basket and concerned look on her loving face. Debby gave up her freedom to care for her elderly mother for 10 years. Debby and Rich were active in the Central Alabama Miata Society driving their little car all over the country. She loved to visit craft fairs and was talented at crafts. In later years she suffered from disabling mobility issues that limited her involvement in the activities that she loved. She loved cooking, listening to music and watching English mysteries. Debby was the Queen of my life. It was an honor and a privilege to share my life with her. We were not blessed with children, but we were blessed with each other. Debby left us to be with the Lord on January 19, 2023. She is predeceased by her parents Delbert and Mildred and brother Jackson. She is survived by Richard her loving husband of 49 years, her Sister Fonda Thomas of Beckley, WV, her Brother Donald Curtis of Parkersburg, WV, her Sister-in-law Margie Kipp and Brother-in-law Ed Kipp of Gardendale, AL. as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Service will be held on Wednesday, January 25 at Holy Infant of Prague Catholic Church 8090 Gadsden Highway (Route 11), Trussville, AL. There will be visitation at the church at 10AM followed by a funeral mass service at 11AM. Internment of the urn in its niche will follow the mass at the church.
Richard J Vatovec
Trussville, AL
MEETING DETAILS:
Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Time: 1:00-2:00 pm
Location: Alabama Power Building Auditorium
600 18th Street North
Birmingham, AL 35203
See Parking Information below.
Keynote Speaker: Dan Churchman, a Fleet Engineering Director at Southern Nuclear, will update us on Vogtle 3 & 4.
Lifestyle Speaker: Robert Cornelius Elder Law & Probate and Estate Planning Attorney
Robert Cornelius practices throughout Alabama in the legal field of Elder Law and Special Needs. His office has over 50 years of experience in the areas dealing with issues such as protection of personal and business assets, paying for long term care and/or nursing homes, guardianships and conservatorships, elder abuse, wills and trusts, Power of Attorney, Living Wills, and Health Care Directives.
