A loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Barbara (“Bobbie”) P. Burgess passed away peacefully surrounded by family and loved ones on Oct. 3, 2023, at 81 years old in Raleigh, N.C., following a battle with encephalitis.

Bobbie was born to Dorothy and Billie Wilson Painter on December 27, 1941, in Charleston, West Virginia. After graduating from Mount Vernon Seminary, she attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where she met her husband, William (Tully) Burgess. Together, they had two sons: Jeffrey (“Jeff”) and Christopher (“Chris”).

While Bobbie loved traveling the world, crafting jewelry, attending Broadway shows, spending time with her family, and playing bridge, her first true love was the game of golf. A proud member of Pinehurst Country Club and a lifetime member of the Silver Foils organization, she was a multi-year winner of both the individual women’s club championship and mixed couples’ club championship with Jeff. Bobbie was president of the North Carolina Women’s Golf Association and a rules official for more than three decades for numerous amateur and professional golf tournaments across the USGA, PGA and Carolinas Golf Association (CGA). During her time in Fort Myers, Florida, she was women’s club champion of Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club, where she and her husband resided until 2021.

She is survived by her husband, Tully; her son Jeff and daughter-in-law Shari; her son Chris; and her two grandchildren, Peyton and Zachary; all of Raleigh, N.C. She leaves behind many beloved cousins, brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and extended family members.

Per her wishes, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, please introduce a young girl to the game of golf, take her to a golfing event, or consider a donation to the First Tee of the Sandhills in Bobbie’s name.