Dr. Donald "Don" Barrie McBurney's Obituary
Dr. Donald “Don” Barrie McBurney, age 81, died on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Don was predeceased by his only sister Karen (McBurney) DeRosier and his parents John Barrie and Marjorie May (Freyou) McBurney.
Don was born and raised in Jennings, La., and graduated from University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) in 1964 and from Louisiana State University Medical School in 1968. He completed his internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans and subsequently volunteered to serve two years in the U.S. Navy, functioning as a flight surgeon with the rank of lieutenant. His primary duty was caring for pilots stationed stateside during the Vietnam War at South Weymouth Naval Air Station in Massachusetts. During that time, Don also learned to fly and earned his private pilot’s license.
To complete his residency in radiology, he trained and completed rotations at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York, and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. He completed his residency and began his practice at Ochsner Clinic in Metairie, Louisiana.
In 1977, he transitioned to private practice at St. Tammany Parish Hospital and Highland Park Hospital in Covington, Louisiana. In the late 1980s, he was recruited back to Ochsner to develop new radiology departments across southeast Louisiana—including Baton Rouge, Hammond, and Covington. After a long and successful career, he retired in 2011. He and his wife split their time between their home on the North Shore and a beloved mountain cottage in Highlands, North Carolina until 2021 when they chose to return to Louisiana.
Known throughout his life as a kind and intelligent man, he loved perfecting his golf swing and strategy and was proud to have been a scratch golfer for much of his life. He and his family enjoyed watching horse racing, baseball, and golf together. He was grateful to have watched the 2025 Kentucky Derby with his wife and two of his three daughters at his side.
Don is survived by his wife of nearly 44 years, Dawn Marie (Pumilia) McBurney; his three daughters Leanne (David) Truehart, Susan (Timothy) McNicholl, and Ashley Adams; his three grandsons; and a menagerie of granddogs and grandcats.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Dr. McBurney may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org .
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the memorial services at St. Anselm Catholic Church, 306 St. Mary Street, Madisonville, LA 70447 on Friday, June 13, 2025, at 2:00 PM with visitation at church on Friday beginning at 1:00 PM. Interment of his cremains will take place in the columbarium at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in Highlands, North Carolina.
E.J. Fielding Funeral Home has been entrusted with funeral arrangements. The family invites you to share thoughts, fondest memories, and condolences online at E. J. Fielding Funeral Home Guest Book at www.ejfieldingfh.com.
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