James Mark Burniske

1954 - 2020

James "Jim" Mark Burniske, 65, of Wrightwood and Seal Beach, California passed peacefully after a long illness, March 7, 2020. Jim was born in Greenfield, MA on June 8, 1954. He attended Holy Trinity and Greenfield Jr and High Schools and joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as an aircraft mechanic during the Vietnam War from 1972 until 1976.

Jim completed his freshman year at Nathaniel Hawthorne College and received his Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts and civil engineering at Greenfield Community College. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, for a dual major in Journalistic studies and Business Management while consecutively working as a sports reporter and photographer for the Greenfield Recorder.

His love of mechanics and engineering led him to California and a long, distinguished career in the aerospace defense field at McDonnell Douglas, Rockwell, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman, working on such programs as the B1-B, Gunship, B-2, Global Hawk and other classified defense programs. He was fondly known as "BSides" by his friends and coworkers.

Jim was a classic sports car enthusiast and loved to snow ski, bicycle, go target shooting, ride motorcycles, bowl, and play pool.

Jim is survived by his wife Cheri and son, Jayce, and a daughter, Maranda from a previous marriage his mother, Beverly June (Wickens) Burniske of Murrieta, CA, grandchildren, Ella, Abbey, Mayson, and Brighton, a brother, Gary R. Burniske of West Lafayette, IN, sister, Melinda (Lindy Burniske) Cunningham from Sage, CA, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Jim was predeceased by his father Robert "Nook" Burniske.

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