Dayle Ormsby Burnett passed peacefully from complications of Alzheimer's Disease at her home in Charlottesville, Virginia on October 25, 2026. She was born on October 9,1946 in Poughkeepsie, NY to Frances Comegys Ormsby and Madison Ormsby and graduated from Ketcham High School and Dutchess Community College. In 1966 she married her high school sweetheart and best friend Bob Burnett, and they spent the next 60 years together enjoying the academic life. She retired in 1987, after 20 years as an Executive Assistant for academic programs: a PBS channel at the University of New Hampshire, Office of the President at Franklin Pierce University and USAID Research Programs at Syracuse University. For the next 40 years she was our partner in all adventures, as wife, mom, grammy, and everybody's favorite relative and good friend.

Dayle embraced life, hers and yours, as an adventure to be enjoyed and shared. She was always the first to help and the last to leave.

Here are some thoughts on her life from family members and friends:

"She has been such a great friend for so many years, fun, kind and generous to a fault."

"Aunt Dayle was a ray of sunshine for me all my life."

"I remember her wedding; Bob and Dayle were then and forever the most devoted couple I have known."

"She was always the foundation of her family. I loved to sit and talk with her because her enthusiasm was contagious. She made even the smallest bits of my life important and exciting."

"She was fun, had an incredibly quick sense of humor and was genuinely interested in what we were doing."

She leaves behind to carry forward her support and enthusiasm for all that life offers: her husband, Bob; daughter, Kristin Isom and husband Nathaniel Braintwain; granddaughter, Riley McHenry and husband Cameron; grandson, Ryan Isom; sister, Lynne Keil; brother, Jim Ormsby and wife Lori; brother-in-law, Wayne Burnett and wife Parul; cousin, Bob Comegys and wife Susan; nieces, Kelly Alvarez and husband Tim, Kim Alboum and husband Scott, Gwen Burnett, and Mackenzie Burnett; nephews, Zachary Burnett and wife Sarah, and Michael Wood. Additionally, Kris and Nathaniel’s dog, Murphy, was a source of comfort and joy to her in the last months of her life.

At Dayle's request there will not be a Formal Service. Instead, she would want everyone to take a moment to be thankful for all that life brings and to carry forward a kind supportive manner. Contributions may be made in Dayle's memory to Hospice of the Piedmont, 675 Peter Jefferson Pkwy., Suite 300, Charlottesville, Va. 22911.

An online guestbook is available at www.compassionatecremationva.com

Compassionate Cremation Services of Ruckersville, VA is honored to serve Dayle’s family.