Crime & Safety

Funeral Services Set for Drowned Man

Gideon Burt drowned at Lake Lanier Tuesday.

Funeral services have been set for a local man who died as a result of a swimming accident at Lake Lanier Islands.

According to Hall County officials, 49-year-old Gideon Massey Burt of Lawrenceville drowned at Lake Lanier the evening of July 12.

Hall County fire Chief David Kimbrell said Burt was in the water near the campground at Lake Lanier Islands when he disappeared around 6:15 Tuesday night. Kimbrell said Burt swam out to get a beach ball, called for help, but was not seen again. 

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Hall County divers found Burt's body around 7:20 p.m. in water 32 feet deep.

The Hall County sheriff's department is investigating the death.

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Burt was employed with the Gwinnett County Public School System in the Maintenance Division. He was also a member of  where he enjoyed working with the pre-school Sunday School classes.

Funeral services are set for Saturday, July 16 at 11 a.m. at Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel. The family will receive friends, at the funeral home, following the service.

Burt is survived by his daughters, Mikaela Erin Burt and Hannah Abigail Burt of Dacula; former wife, Kristin Tara Burt of Dacula; mother and father, Dorothy D. and George D. Burt of Greensboro; sister, Deborah E. Watkins of Cartersville; nieces, Emily Portwood of Smyrna and Nicole Farren, Arianna Petersen and Miranda Petersen of Dacula; nephews, George Fonda of Dallas, Ga., and Kyle Farren of Dacula.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Pre-School Ministry Department, c/o Hebron Baptist Church, P.O. Box 279, Dacula, Ga. 30019.

(Obituary information courtesy of Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel and Gardens, 3481 Hamilton Mill Road in Buford.)


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