Bob Burns

Bob Burns Junior, born July 10, 1922, to Elizabeth Fisher and Bob Burns Senior, passed away on Nov. 12, 2012.

His father, Bob Senior, who was an early film and radio star, appeared weekly on the Bing Crosby show, where he played his invention, the Bazooka, (for which the army weapon was named), and regaled his audience with his folksy tales of Arkansas characters.

Bob Junior lived life to the fullest and filled his days with adventure, curiosity, and kindness. He marveled that his hearing survived his early childhood crib, placed in the center of the carousel of his parent’s traveling carnival.

He lived through the depression (“Add cream and sugar to your coffee in restaurants, because you get more”), and through times of great wealth. He was a gymnast, jumped horses, participated in Gymkana races, flew his own plane, and faceted gemstones for the fun of it.

Bob attended Washington State University and enrolled at UCLA, planning to be a doctor, but was captured by the lure of stagecraft. He became the stage manager of UCLA’s Royce Hall, where he met noted character actress, Naomi Stevens, his loving wife of 64 years. Together they traveled the world, following Naomi’s film projects.

In the intervening periods, Bob was a restless learner. He performed more than 100 different types of jobs in his long working career, but most notably, he was one of Disney's ‘imagineers’ --creating the firefly lighting for the Pirates ride, the model of the Disney World castle, and early lighting effects for Space Mountain, Small World, and the Haunted Mansion. He also worked in the graphic arts department at CBS.

Other interests included aircraft manufacturing, machining, electronics, computers, desktop publishing, photography, and all arts.

He took up wood carving in retirement, enthralling all with his creative mobiles of butterflies, fairies, fish, and his animated, musical carousel.

Bob had a sardonic wit that appeared in his many creations and writings, but he was also a dedicated humanitarian and public servant.

He was a disaster volunteer, using his ham radio to patch connections throughout his life with his call ID N6ZH, a volunteer with the Tree People, and with the LAPD. He went around the world to disaster sites for the Red Cross, helping to set up computer communications in the earliest days of the personal computer.

While helping Tree People volunteers during a Los Angeles mudslide, Bob rescued a wet and shivering dog he named ‘Storm.’ Storm turned out to be a sweet and beautiful mother and produced ‘Lightning’ and ‘Thunder.’ Thunder went on to a home with Madonna and Sean Penn. Lightning would delight Bob by chasing lights. Bob was an excellent and patient trainer. Bob and Naomi’s homes were always filled with well-loved pets.

Bob is survived by his son, Jon, his wife, Naomi, daughter-in-law, Janet, one brother, and many nieces, nephews, and progeny of the other half of the Burns family.

Bob’s uncle Farrar and wife, June (a noted author), settled in beautiful Puget Sound and have many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Bob’s family is particularly grateful for the help of Bob’s best friend and teaching partner, Carol Johnson. She was by his side through 10 of his last retirement years in Fountain Hills, where he taught computer skills to seniors.

Bob’s interest in medicine led him to choose Science Care, an anatomical donation site, so that he could continue to serve others through physician training.

We were all so lucky to have had Bob in our lives. He was a brilliant and extraordinary man, who lives on in our hearts and memories. Naomi, his wife, says he always felt women were his equal, therefore far ahead of his time and the best husband anyone could ever hope for.

The family and his wife, Naomi Stevens, welcome stories and remembrances from those who knew Bob. These can be sent to Burns, P.O. Box 895, Topanga, CA 90290.