Billy C. Burney, of Moulton, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at the age of 82 years. He grew up on the family farm in the Wolf Springs community of Lawrence County and graduated from Hatton High school in 1954. Afterwards, he earned bachelors in Business Administration from Florence State College. While at Florence State he was in the ROTC and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. After 25 months of active duty in the 24th Infantry Division in Munich, Germany during the Berlin Crisis, he went into the Reserves where he was assigned to the 87th Maneuver Areas Command Headquarters in Birmingham where he served as an Aid-de-camp to General E.R. Ellis. He was Honorably Discharged in 1966 as a Captain.
While in the Reserves, he enrolled in the Cumberland School of Law where he earned his Juris Doctor and was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1966. In June 1966, Governor George C. Wallace appointed him the first District Attorney of the 36th Judicial Circuit where he served until being appointed in 1969 by Governor Albert Brewer as Circuit Judge.
After 20 years on the bench, he retired as a Circuit Judge and hung his shingle for the first time as a solo practitioner. In 1992, he established the law firm of Burney and Burney where he continued to practice with his two sons until retirement.
Throughout his 50 plus years as a Jurist and attorney, he served as a member and chairman of countless committees including the Alabama Criminal Rules Committee, the Alabama Criminal Pattern Jury Instruction Committee, the State Democratic Executive Committee and the Alabama Law Institute. He served as the past President of the Alabama Lung Association and was a member of the National Board of Directors for the Combined Health Appeal of America. He also had the distinct honor of being titled Justice Burney as he was appointed to serve as a special Alabama Supreme Court Justice.
While Judge Burney impacted countless numbers of lives in his public life, his greatest legacy was with his friends and family.
He is survived by his wife, Patsy Richardson Burney, with whom he just celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary; two sons, Billy C. Burney II, and wife, Melissa and J. Brent Burney and wife, Christie; four grandchildren, Schyler, Sarah Grace, Adeline, and Ezra; and his brother, Jackie Burney and wife, Barbara, along with many nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Talmer and Melba Burney, and his brother, Jadie Burney and wife, Melba.
He was a member of Central Baptist Church. Services will be at Central Baptist Church in Decatur on Thursday, November 8th with Dr. Rob Jackson officiating. Visitation will commence at 10:30 a.m. and will continue to the commencement of the service at 1 p.m.. Burial will be at Providence Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Ezra Burney, Jay Burney, Stuart Sockwell, David Pettey, Lee Davis, Steve Flippo, and Steve Carter.
Lawrence Funeral Home, Moulton, Alabama officiating and assisting the family.
