J.P. Burnette

Dr. J.P. “Jay” Burnette was born on December 9, 1946, at Camp Lejune Marine Corps Base, Naval Regional Medical Center. He was the son of Joab Pennell and Hildred Holloman Burnette. His father served in the US Marine Corps as a Master Gunnery Sergeant. At the age of 3 years, his family relocated to the family farm in Farmville, NC in Pitt County.

Dr. Burnette attended public school and graduated from Farmville High School in 1965. He was very active in all phases of school from student government, class president, offices, numerous clubs, including National Honor Society, Science Club, and all areas of sports including football, baseball, basketball, and track. He traveled daily from his country farm about a mile down the road, in Farmville, usually walking and later driving over the years.

After graduation in 1965 from Farmville High School, he enrolled in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1965-1969), graduating with Honors with a degree in chemistry and pre-medicine. A fork in his life led him to voluntarily enlist in the United States Marine Corps. He was stationed in Parris Island, SC for his tour of duty. He attended scout sniper school and served in special reconnaissance as an expert rifleman. Later, Dr. Burnette, then Corporal Burnette, decided it was time to pursue his dream in life, applying to Wake Forest Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Upon immediate acceptance, he began his freshman year in 1972. For the first six months, he remained active in the Marine Reserves, but was later transferred by the Naval Department to the rank of Ensign in the US Navy and awarded a full scholarship with all the rank, privileges and pay of a Naval officer, later leaving Bowman Gray, upon graduation in 1975, after rank of Lieutenant in the US Navy. He graduated AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society) with his medical degree and moved on to immediate licensure in North Carolina, moving to Virginia to serve at the Portsmouth Naval Regional Medical Center as intern, then resident in the specialty of Internal Medicine, later receiving board certification in Internal Medicine.

He completed tours of duty as a US Naval Medical Officer at Portsmouth, Bethesda, and San Diego. His last duty station was Camp Lejune Naval Regional Medical Center as the Chief of Internal Medicine. Upon completion of a successful Marine Corps and Navy career, Dr. Burnette left the military service and moved to Wilson and joined the Wilson Clinic. Living in Wilson, he commuted daily for twelve years to his office with his medical school colleague, Dr. Hal B. Woodall. He remained active Naval Reserve until Desert Storm, at which time he encountered another fork in his life—risk recall to active duty to serve in Desert Storm or continue to build his professional career in Wilson with a well-established family and patient population. This was not easy, but he resigned his commission as US Navy Commissioner, WSNR to fulfill his dream and for his patients and family. He, his wife, Martha, a physical therapist and daughters, Abby and Sarah settled in Wilson for the remainder of his career in medicine and remained until retirement years ensued. After 10-11 years in the Wilson Clinic from 1980-1992, he left the Clinic to join Dr. Thomas E. Hooper as Hooper & Burnette Internal Medicine, later expanding to Hooper & Burnette Internal Medicine and Forest Hills Immediate Care.

He was quite active in the hospital and medical community. He was a member of the staff of Wilson Memorial Hospital, later Chief of Staff, Wilson County Medical Society, NC Society of Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, FACP (Fellow American College of Physicians), American Society of Internal Medicine and several other organizations.

His early passions, stemming from his Marine Corps and Naval medical in critical care, intensive care, primary bedside, emergency room, and hospital care. He and his family are members of the First Presbyterian Church, and he maintained his lifelong First Christian Church membership.

Dr. Burnette’s joys and pleasures in life outside of his work were his family, children, grandchildren and all their activities, especially their love of sports. His own personal passion was running. Dr. Burnette began running high school track, later a very brief stent at UNC as a walk-on in track. This was not to last, but his love never died. He ran from his military days, on duty, to later, with military friends, both during and following his release from active duty with old military colleagues. His real passion was 10k and especially marathon running. A 36:00 flat 10k became routine in later development and his ultimate goal, sub 3-hour marathons became a reality at 2 hours 50 minutes, first occurring in the New York City Marathon, later Boston Marathon, and several others. In total, he participated in and completed 26 marathons over the years, while still working full-time, taking calls overnight, frequently every other to every third and fourth nights simultaneously. He always cherished that as a sport he could participate in alone, on a whim, and routinely. It was his personal time to think through complicated patients, care and life situations, with resolution by the end of a long hard run.

He was also an avid beach/water lover with places at the beach for most of his adult life. Surf fishing became his “water marathon” quiet time, for the love of fishing and just catching fish, especially the red drum. He spent many an hour, day and vacation day on the beach pursuing this passion and again, mentally

He was always looking for his next “challenge” in life and if there wasn’t one, he’d always create one (or so he was told).

Dr. Burnette’s wife, Martha (Mot) preceded him in death (2009). They met at CENC in 1969 and never separated until the day of her passing, the Monday after an amazing Thanksgiving weekend with their family, all in attendance at the home.

Mot had been ill for several years and required 24/7 care for which he and his family are forever grateful for a handful of a few loyal caregivers who served her each and every need and a lot of this at their insistence, not his. Many thanks especially Daniel Edmundson, Gwyndon Dawson, Jean Woodard, Denise Taylor, and Janice Boone, among many.

Special thanks to his caregivers, Mary Burch, Crystal McAllister, and Lorraine Jefferson.

He is survived by his daughters, Sarah B. Deans (Jason), Abby B. Hosier (Shawn), grandchildren, Bailey Jane Deans, Ryan Bruce Deans, Peyton Tucker Hosier and Braeden Jeremiah Hosier. He is also survived by his beloved sister (cousin), Letha Ricks, her husband, Butch and children, Lea and Britt; numerous other cousins and family members, friends, family, colleagues and coworkers.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 7, 2025, at Joyner’s Funeral Home, Wilson with a family private burial in Farmville.

The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 6 – 8 p.m. at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway, Wilson.

In lieu of flowers, Dr. Burnette requests donations to the charity of your choice.

Condolences directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home and Crematory at www.joyners.net.