Burdett Leon Stills, III was born on May 2, 1957, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to Burdett Stills, Jr. and Johnnie Mae Scott Stills. He attended public elementary schools in Shreveport, Louisiana and Houston, Texas – later relocating with his family to Oakland, California, where he graduated from McClymonds High School in 1975. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, California to attend Loyola Marymount University, where he pledged Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and where he would meet the love of his life, Heartest Neely, whom he married on April 28, 1978. To this union, three children were born: Misty Marie (July 2, 1979), Tanisha Fitzlyn (November 24, 1980), and Burdett IV (October 13, 1982).

“Leo” as he was known in later years, joined Pacific Bell Telephone Company in 1979, and had a long and fruitful career with PacBell, later AT&T until his retirement in 2012 – a service of nearly 40 years and many accomplishments. When Leo was not working, his main interests were writing articles and screenplays, as well as being a talented sketch and oil painting artist with the subjects of his work being family, friends, Marvel Comics heroes, and anything related to outer space. Leo was something of a technical geek, once he was introduced to the Internet, and during a contented retirement, he became a gourmet chef, often watching YouTube videos and cooking shows to find recipes to replicate and try out on his family. His baby sister remembers him always with a sketch pad in his hand drawing or assembling science models for school in helping with her homework and being a protective figure in her life, along with his cousin Janice, with whom he was always close.

After several health challenges, Leo transitioned from this life on June 2, 2022.

Remembering him with much love: his life partner and wife of 44 years, Heartest Neely Stills, Los Angeles, California; three children, Misty Marie Stills, Tanisha Fitzlyn Stills and Burdett Leon Stills IV, of Los Angeles, California; a daughter-in-love, Shante Stills; five grandsons: Trey, Brandon, Amir, Omar and Burdett Leon V; his baby sister, Leutisha LaGail Stills of Washington, DC; his brother, Larry Glenn Stills of Cincinnati, Ohio; his maternal aunt, Mrs. Essie Ross of Shreveport, Louisiana; his first cousins, Ronald Gatlin, Richmond, California, Janice Gatlin, Shreveport, Louisiana, Patricia Scott, Seattle, Washington; John David Scott, Jr., Anchorage, Alaska, and several other nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors, and former co-workers who loved him dearly.

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