Emily Inin Burnett

Emily Inin Burnett was a beautiful and accomplished young woman, beloved by her family and friends for her genuine personality, her wit, and her drive to help those who needed it most. Emily died suddenly Wednesday, November 23, 2016, in Petaluma, CA from complications of cystic fibrosis; she was thirty-two. Emily was a joy for so many people, touching hearts and bringing out smiles with her strength and positive outlook on life. Despite the significant challenges of cystic fibrosis, Emily lived an amazing life with the years she had. Growing up outside Boston in the small town of Dover, MA, Emily was a popular student-athlete who competed in varsity softball, soccer, and swimming. With a love for reading that spanned her life, Emily graduated from UCLA holding an honors degree in American Literature and Culture. With her characteristic determination, Emily enrolled at UNC Chapel Hill's School of Law at age twenty-five, and during her third year, worked on a project to help review and appeal death row cases with racially biased convictions. After graduating law school she clerked for a federal district court judge in Laredo, TX and then for another in Amarillo, TX. She then clerked for the State Superior Court in Boston and New Bedford, MA. Exemplifying her "no challenge is too hard" mindset, Emily passed the Bar Exams in Texas, Massachusetts, and New York on her first tries. At the time of her passing, she worked for Quintiles in Durham, NC, making a contribution to clinical research around the world. Emily is survived by her loving fiancé, Doug Hansen, an officer in the United States Air Force; her mother, Gail Burnett, and step-father, James Schauer, who live in Petaluma; her father, Bruce Burnett, and step-mother, Tammy Burnett, who live in Raleigh, NC; brothers Michael Burnett (Palo Alto, CA) and Iain Burnett (Healdsburg, CA), half-sister Ashley Burnett (Boston, MA), half-brother Ryan Burnett (Raleigh, NC) and grandmother Inin Burnett (Raleigh, NC). She is also survived by uncles Phil Burnett (Thermal, CA), Ross Burnett (Sacramento, CA), Jeff Burnett (Holland, MI), Bill MacDonald (Winthrop, ME), and Andy MacDonald (Winthrop, ME), and aunt Sue Williamson (Jefferson, ME), many cousins, plus the many pets she rescued and fostered over her adult life. We will be holding a viewing and Celebration of Life at the Parent-Sorensen Mortuary in Petaluma from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, Saturday, December 3. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to either the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or to a scholarship fund we are establishing in Emily's name: Emily's Foundation.