MICHAEL ROY BURGESS

(02-11-1948 to 11-20-2013)

Michael Roy Burgess was born in Fukuoka, Japan on February 11, 1948. He was the son of career Air Force officer Roy Walter and Betty Burgess. He obtained his A.B. from Gonzaga University in 1969, and his M.S. from the University of Southern California in 1970. He joined the faculty at Cal State San Bernardino soon after. During this period he continued writing and editing books, often under the pseudonym of “Robert Reginald.” In 1975 he began his own publishing company, The Borgo Press, with his wife, Mary. Borgo published 300 titles between 1976 and 1998, and as a writer and editor, he wrote more than 120 fiction and nonfiction books, 13,000 short pieces, and more than 1,500 volumes for other publishers.

Burgess retired after serving as Head of Collection of Development at the Pfau Library in June 2010, after serving for 40 years.

I first met Michael when I reached out to participate in the Burgess DNA project in 2004. Michael had started the project sometime in the year 2000. Over time I grew to appreciate his generosity and enthusiasm for the project. His book, The History of the Burgess family was recognized  throughout the genealogical community for the scope and breadth of the research it covered. I volunteered to support the first website which housed both his Borgo Press publications and the nascent BurgessDNA website. In 2012 Michael asked if I could lead the project after him and I accepted to do so. I stand to preserve a small part of his legacy with this project for future generations.