Individual Details

Death

Ralph E. Burns of Vida passed away peacefully August 10 cardiovascular disease. He was 84. Born July 12, 1922 in Hamilton, Ohio to John C. and Shella Burns, Ralph grew up in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains in southeastern Kentucky, where he lived a Tom Sawyer-like childhood-selling Grit papers, trapping and selling furs to Sears Roebuck, and herding village cows to pasture for pocket money. He and his dog, Prince, fought and won many challenges over whose hound dog was best. Ralph was a senior at Eastern Kentucky College of Education when WWII broke out. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps, serving as a B-24 bomber flight engineer. On Christmas Day, 1945 he married Frances Scharen of Yakima, Washington, whom he met while changing trains between duty stations during the war. Ralph and Frances celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in December 2005. Upon Ralph's discharge from the AAC, the newlyweds moved to Kentucky where Ralph was requested to start an Industrial Arts program at Oneida Institute, which was founded by his ancestor, James Anderson Burns, who persuaded feuding families to lay down their arms and educate their children in peaceful ways. After establishing the Industrial Arts program, Ralph enrolled at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, where he completed a bachelor's degree in Industrial Education and started a degree in Agricultural Science. In 1950, they returned east to Mansfield, Ohio to operate a family dairy farm for three years. During this period, he won the Greenacres Award as grassland farmer of the year for Richland County. In 1953 Ralph completed his bachelor's degree in Agricultural Science at OSU, accepted a position at Cave Junction High School, and developed the school's first vocational agriculture program. Twice his FFA livestock judging teams won national judging contests and were rewarded with trips to Chicago. During this time, Ralph obtained his master of Agriculture degree from OSU. The family moved to the Vida area in 1958 where Ralph started a program for gifted students. During summers, he began studies at the University of Oregon, and developed McKenzie's first counseling program. In 1965 he was invited to be on the U of O's counseling team for the new Job Corps Center at Tongue Point in Astoria, an extraordinary and rewarding experience. He was then hired to the Eugene Vocational School/Lane Community College counseling staff before the LCC cornerstone was laid. Setting up a job search program for graduating students, Ralph became advisor to Business and Native American students. He retired after 18 years' counseling and teaching Human Relations at LCC, concluding a fulfilling 35-year career in education. A former member of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Kentucky, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the new Smithsonian American Indian Heritage Foundation, the Eugene Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, the Natural History and Birding group at Campbell Senior Center, and the Oregon Nut Growers' Society, Ralph enjoyed Eugene symphony performances, hybridizing rhododendrons, tying flies, making Indian jewelry, attending the Tyghe Valley and Pendleton Round-ups, raising collies and tending his orchard. He had a passion for the American West, particularly the high Cascades, and the Siskiyou and Wallowa Mountains. He was well-versed in American frontier and Indian history and had many stories for friends and family to enjoy. A home-loving hero to his family, Ralph is remembered for providing memorable camping, fishing and hunting treks and fostering their love of the outdoors and farming. Students, colleagues and friends alike were inspired by the twinkle in his eyes, his happy smile, sense of humor, and contemplative manner. Survivors include his wife; one sister, four half-sisters and a half-brother, all in the east; two sons and their wives-Ralph S. and Denise of Eugene and Craig and Diane of Roseburg; two daughters-Mary Furr and husband Douglas, and Nancy Burns of Vida; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and his dog, Monte. The family wishes to express its gratitude to his physician, caregivers at Gateway Gardens and to Sacred Heart Hospice for their loving care. At his request, no services will be held. Family members will carry his ashes to the high Cascade wilderness area and scatter them to the winds to fulfill his final wishes. Remembrances may be sent to Greenhill Humane Society, 88530 Greenhill Rd., Eugene, OR 97402, or the U of O Museum of Natural and Cultural History, 1680 E 15th, Eugene 97403.
Published by Eugene Register-Guard on Aug. 23, 2006