Garry Gaston Burnett, Jr., Ph.D., son of Garry G. Burnett and Carolyn Thomas Penn, was born on March 13, 1968. He was raised in High Point, North Carolina and was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church. He continued to be an active member in the church communities in which he lived throughout his adult life. He attended Montlieu Elementary School (whose park was named in honor of Garry’s father);
Northeast Middle School; and Andrews High School, where, among many other honors, he was selected to attend The Governor’s School. In his senior year at Andrews, he was voted “Best All-Around.” He received a four-year Pogue Scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1990. He began his career at AT&T/NCR Federal Systems Division and while there, he received an MBA from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. He later worked for Real Networks, FTP Software, and Veritas Software.

Garry received a Doctor of Philosophy in Management Information Systems from The George Washington University. His dissertation, “Media Synchronicity: An Examination of its Influence on the Relationship Between Collective Identity and Learning in a Virtual Team Setting,” was directed by Dr. Mary J. Granger. After receiving his Ph.D., he went on to become a faculty member at Florida International University and Florida A&M University; he loved the art of teaching. Most recently, he worked as an Executive IT Advisor with Hartman Executive Advisors, serving in the role of interim Chief Information Officer for multiple educational institutions. Everyone who knew Garry would characterize him as dependable, engaging, personable, and dedicated in all aspects of his life. He had many passions outside of work. He loved playing, watching, and even officiating basketball. Indeed, he was “Best All Around” at home, too. Cooking meals with his daughters – Naomi and
Sloane – was only one way he showed his deep commitment to them. He was always there for his girls, whether at an Alpha Kappa Alpha father-daughter dinner dance, Jack and Jill activity, Holton-Arms School field trip, neighborhood event, or practices and games for their soccer and volley ball teams. What truly solidified the family unit was Garry’s unwavering love and adoration for Meredith. Since their
marriage in 2000, Garry and Meredith built a strong union. They travelled together; laughed together; planned their daughters’ futures together; decorated their homes together; commiserated about students, research, and work together. They truly were one family unit.

Included among Garry’s beloved surviving family and friends are his wife, Meredith V. Flowers Burnett, and his daughters, Naomi Simone and Sloane Alexis; his mother, Carolyn Thomas Penn and his stepfather, Frank Penn; his mother-in-law, Dorothy Gardner Flowers; his brothers Todd (Andrea) Burnett, Cohen Burnett, and Zachary Burnett; his step-sister, Ursula (Chris) Wilson; his sister-in-law, Mishawn (Sterlin) Styles; and his nieces and nephew, Chloe Burnett, Reid Wilson, and Christopher Wilson; his uncles John (Christine) Thomas, Larry (Phyllis) Thomas, Steve (Brenda) Thomas, Arthur (Debbie) Burnett and his aunts Virginia Foust, Louella Fearrington, Ruth Hadley, Frances (Harvey) Lackey, Jean Burnett, Marjorie Thomas Ennis, Connie Thomas; and his two close friends, Eric Davis and Marcus Fryer. Garry was preceded in death by his father, half-brother Hanson Herring and stepbrother Frankie Penn.