Obituary for Ecomet Burley Jr
June 6, 1954 – February 13, 2020
Ecomet Burley, Jr. of Pearland, Texas, son of Ecomet Burley, Sr., and Willie Mae Burley, was born in Palestine, TX, June 6, 1954. He passed away peacefully at home on February 13, 2020, surrounded by family and loved ones.
Ecomet attended Lufkin junior and senior high schools, where he discovered activities that defined much of his life: football, weightlifting, a love of learning, and a Fellowship of Christian Athletes. While at Lufkin high school, he was a standout athlete—a blue-chip defensive lineman and champion shotputter. After graduating from Lufkin High in 1972, he attended Texas Tech University (TTU), where his famous first question of the coaching staff was, “Where’s the weight room.” At TTU, as a defensive tackle and nose guard, he made a habit of terrorizing quarterbacks and running backs and striking fear and shame in offensive linemen. His exploits on the field resulted in a Most Valuable Defensive Player Award at the Sun Bowl as a freshman, multiple First Team All-Southwest Conference honors, and two Second Team All American Honors. He graduated from TTU with a degree in political science and spent six years in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Following his CFL efforts, he became an educator for three decades as a teacher, coach, principal, assistant superintendent, and school district superintendent. This work took him through Lufkin, Crockett, Lubbock, LaMarque, Houston, and Champaign, Il. During this period, he completed a master’s degree in education at Stephen F. Austin State University and coursework toward a Doctor of Education degree at Texas A&M University.
He was a member of the following organizations: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Kiwanis Club of La Marque President, 2012-2013, Mainland Rotary Club of La Marque, Texas City/La Marque Chamber of Commerce (Ex- Officio Director), Texas Association of Black School Educators, Texas Association of School Administrators, and the Texas Association of School Boards Association.
As for football, his short stature and size did not fit with his effectiveness on the field. Often the smallest lineman on the field, Ecomet earned the nickname, “Big E,” for his ability to wreak havoc on offensive teams’ best-laid plans. His class of football players was one of the most successful in the history of the program and included greats like Andre Tillman, Joe Barnes, Ken Wallace, Larry Isaac, Rodney Allison, and many others. One Lubbock Avalanche-Journal article called him pound-for-pound the best defensive lineman in Texas Tech football history. He has been inducted into the Texas Tech Athletics Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame, and in Texas Football Legends (Texas Bowl) Hall of Fame. Always true to the TTU motto, “Strive to for honor,” he liked to say that he bled “red and black.” He loved his alma mater. In the last months of his life and as a way of continually supporting TTU Athletics, he worked with former Black TTU football players for increased recognition of their legacy of excellence. One point of enjoyment for Big E was working with young athletes interested in track and field.
He is preceded in homegoing by his parents and daughter Ebony. He is survived by his children, Ecomet III, Michael, and Stephanie; siblings Sylvia, Carrye, and Hansel; grandchildren (Kindle, Dielle, Kaitlyn, Aurora, and Olivia; and great-grandchildren (Jaxson, Zanya).
Lufkin services will be held Saturday, February 22nd,2020 in the First Missionary Baptist Church, 410 Scarbrough St., Lufkin, TX. at 11:00 a. am. Burial will follow in the Cedar Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 6 p.m., till 8 p.m, in the Colonial Mortuary Chapel.
A Houston memorial service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the E. C. Burley, Sr., Scholarship Fund c/o Regions Bank, attention: E. C. Burley Scholarship Fund. Inquiries contact Johnnie Ross @ (936) 229-1337.
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VIA: https://www.colonialmortuarylufkin.com/obituaries/Ecomet-Burley/#!/Obituary
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