It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Wendell Gene Burnett III, known to most as Gene. At a time of year when we all gather with family to celebrate, the Burnett family is gathering to mourn the loss of a beloved father, husband and friend. Sunday, December 17 should have been like any other relaxing Sunday, but it wasn’t. After years of battling illness, Gene suffered a heart attack at just 36 years old. Life saving measures were attempted and he was transported to the hospital where he remained on life-support for 4 days. He passed away on Thursday, December 21, just days before he would have celebrated Christmas with his wife and three children. Now instead of celebrating, his wife Tabitha and children Riley (16), Zoey (13) and Gene IV (6) are left to pick up the pieces. Gene was a long-time resident of the Colorado Springs area who took advantage of living close to the mountains. He was known to take the kids camping and hiking regularly. He loved to be outdoors and loved animals. The one thing he loved more than his time outdoors was his kids. He was a great father and proudly provided for his family. This sudden tragedy will be felt in the hearts of loved ones for years to come but is especially heart wrenching this time of year. Your contributions will be used for funeral costs and expenses for the children as Tabitha works to take over the role of provider for her family