REGINALD E. BURLEIGH
Caribou & Fort Fairfield – Reginald E. Burleigh, 81, husband of the late Muriel “Molly” Burleigh, passed away unexpectedly, Tuesday evening, August 31, 2021 at a Presque Isle healthcare facility. He was born February 21, 1940 in Bangor, the son of Cecil H. and Jeannette (Fowler) Burleigh. Graduating from Caribou High School in 1958 as Class Valedictorian, Reggie was a member of the 1958 Eastern Maine Class L Basketball Championship Team, participated in band including three years in the All State Band. He was also involved in numerous activities including the National Honor Society. Reggie graduated from Bowdoin College in 1962, and graduated from Duke University School of Law in 1965. Admitted to practice law in Maine in 1965, Reggie practiced law with his father until April 1966. From May 1966 to April 1973, he was on active duty with the United States Army. Reggie was initially commissioned as an officer in Air Defense Artillery, and transferred to the Judge Advocate General’s Corps US Army in December 1966. He served at Fort Jackson, South Carolina as Claims Officer, then Chief of Military Affairs until January 1969. From then until January 1970 he was stationed with the Second Infantry Division in Korea. During 1967 thru 1969 he prosecuted and defended numerous court martial cases. He was reassigned to Fort Bliss, Texas in 1970 as Chief of Military Justice and then in August 1970 to the Advanced Course at the Judge Advocate General’s School at the University of Virginia Law School. From August 1971 to April 1973 Captain Burleigh served as Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at Fort Eustis, Virginia. He left the Army in 1973 to return to Caribou to practice law until 1990. Reggie served as Commissioner of the Maine Workers’ Compensation Board until January 1994. He worked for Maine Employers’ Mutual Insurance Company from May 1994 until June 2009 as an adjuster. From 1974 to 1990 Reggie taught various legal courses for Ricker College, Unity College, Husson College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He was a member of the Universalist-Unitarian Church of Caribou, was active in the Republican Party as former Chair for the Caribou City Committee, and Fort Fairfield Town Committee. At the time of his death, Reggie served as guardian ad litem to seventeen individuals. Reggie and Molly particularly enjoyed their summer vacations at Samoset with her nephew Sam Chapman, and watching the Red Sox. In addition to his parents, Reggie was predeceased by his wife Muriel on June 6, 2012 just shy of their 35th wedding anniversary; one stepson, Stewart Parks. He is survived by his son, Charles Burleigh and his wife Faydra of Petoskey, MI; one daughter, Katherine Burleigh and her husband Louie Huerta of Petoskey, MI; four stepsons, Robert Parks of Limestone, Frederick Parks and his wife Myrna of Plano, IL, Kent Parks of Portland, and Kurt Parks of Fort Fairfield; five stepdaughters, Regina McArthur and her husband William of Sarasota, FL, Penny Olson and her husband Carl of Caribou, Lynne Graves and her husband Robert of Presque Isle, Donna Parks of Sarasota, FL, Mona Chapman and her husband Chris of San Deigo, CA; one sister, Joanne Murach and her husband Benjamin of Bel Air, MD. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Mathew Burleigh and Jacoby Burleigh-Huerta; eleven step grandchildren, Brhawn, Shane, Vanessa, Ian, Merredith, Kara, Ingrid, Robert, Jordyn, Joshua and Natasha; numerous step great grandchildren. Friends called Tuesday September 7, 2021 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Giberson-Dorsey Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 144 Main Street, Fort Fairfield. A private graveside service with military honors will take place at the Evergreen Cemetery, Caribou. Those who wish may contribute in memory of Mr. Burleigh to the Logan P. Graves Foundation, P.O. Box 429, Presque Isle, Maine 04769. Online condolences may be expressed at www.gibersondorseyfuneralhome.com