October 8, 1945 – August 31, 2025
Dee J. Burbank, born Oct. 8, 1945, in Ogden, Utah, passed away Aug. 31, 2026, in Salinas, California. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 47 years, Vonae (Buttars) Burbank, as well as his five children, thirteen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
He grew up in Utah, where he developed a love for hunting, fishing, and driving through the mountains. His family later moved to Pocatello, Idaho, where he graduated from high school. Dee J. served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Iwo Jima during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. When he returned home in 1968, he met his first child, who was six months old at the time.
He had two more children with his first wife, Karen Barrett, before they later divorced. In 1980, he married Vonae Marie Buttars, and they remained together until his passing. Together, they had two children.
Known as Dee J., he built a long career as an operations engineer, working for Roger Foods in Idaho for nine years and for Maggiora Brothers Drilling Inc. in San Benito County, California for the last thirty-eight years of his life. While drilling he developed lasting friendships with customers, coworkers and community members. He had a love for the outdoors where he enjoyed fishing, golfing on Sundays with family and friends, and looked forward to his annual hunting trip to Montpelier, Idaho. He was a jack of all trades and always ready to help those he cared about on various household tasks, such as hanging shelves or curtains, fixing cars, landscaping, or helping with pump and electrical projects. He will be deeply missed.
He is survived by his wife, Vonae Marie Burbank; his daughter and son-in-law, Tonya Dee and Steven Wallace; his son and daughter-in-law, Kelly Jay and Nereyda Burbank; his daughter, Nicole Shiree Burbank; his daughter and son-in-law, Trenna Edith Burbank and Sammy Gonzalez; and his son and daughter-in-law, Dee J. Jr. and Madelenne Burbank. He is also survived by thirteen grandchildren: Gavin, Sheyanne, Madison (Tonya), Jeanna, Atianna, Atalia (Kelly), Jackson (Nicole), Ranger, Valin, Morgan (Trenna), Brynley, Layley, and Cal (DeeJ Jr.). He was blessed with six great-grandchildren: Carson, Olivia, Waylon, Laramie, Jamison, and Calvin. He is also survived by his brother, Orvin Burbank, and two nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Austin Jay and Edith Burbank, and his sister, Kay Shockley.
A Celebration of Life will be in the early summer of 2027 and announced to family and friends with details.