Engineer Dick Burwell was constant explorer

Scaling a mountain and brainstorming a way to protect Boeing missiles were the same to George Richard "Dick" Burwell: They forced him to extend himself and explore new territory.

He expected similar efforts from others.

"That is how Dick was. He didn't know the meaning of the word `fatigue' and ran a half-marathon every weekend," said his wife of 36 years, Joanne Burwell of Bellevue. "That may have contributed to his contracting Lou Gehrig's disease."

On the other hand, Mr. Burwell, thinking he might die young, may simply have decided to make the most of his years.

"His father died at 58, although from another cause," said his son, Jim Burwell of Shoreline. "I knew my dad thought about that."

Mr. Burwell died last Sunday (July 23) of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was 57.

Born in Seattle, he graduated from Shoreline High School. He spent much time at his family's Ace Tank and Equipment, where he enjoyed mechanical work.

He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Washington in 1965. For the next 33 years he was a structural dynamics and loads engineer and manager at Boeing.

The first five years he worked on the SST and 747 aircraft. Next he moved to the Defense and Space Group to work on the shock-isolation system of the Minuteman missile to protect it from nuclear-attack ground shock. He did similar work on Peacekeeper missiles in silos.

Later he helped create devices to shield the Hard Mobile Launcher and Peacekeeper Rail Garrison from nuclear air-blast and ground shock.

In 1990 he moved to aircraft. His last project was the Sea Launch program for commercial satellites.

Mr. Burwell retired in 1997 after being diagnosed with ALS.

His passion for endurance sports began in 1968. He scaled Washington's main peaks, reaching the summit of Mount Rainier 12 times by five routes.

In 1989 he and his sons climbed Alaska's Mount McKinley.

Through all his adventures he had help: his faith. Shortly before dying, he wrote, "The biggest impact in my life was when I first attended Newport Covenant Church in 1973. I was challenged to look into Christianity as being true.

"Being a young engineer I believed I could figure anything out given the data. So I dug into the Bible and other historical information and figured I would get out quickly if there was not firm evidence that the Bible was true. The more I got into it, I became overwhelmed with the information that the Bible was in fact true and Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior."

He later taught Sunday school and served as a church deacon.

Also surviving are his son Steve Burwell of Seattle; his mother, Margaret Burwell, Redmond; a brother, Bill Burwell, Kirkland; a sister, Margaret Lane, Burlington; and a granddaughter.

Services are at 4 p.m. today at Newport Covenant Church, 12800 S.E. Coal Creek Parkway, Bellevue. Donations may go to the church (ZIP: 98006); to the ALS Association Evergreen Chapter, 10020 Main St., Suite A204, Bellevue, WA 98004; or to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 701 Dexter Ave. N., Suite 106, Seattle, WA 98109.

Carole Beers' e-mail address is cbeers@seattletimes.com.