Robert Alvin Burns

Robert Alvin Burns, died peacefully of natural causes on the evening of October 23, 2014 with family at his side at Wellington Terrace in West Chester, PA. He was 85 years old. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Bob is the son of the late Edna Grate Burns and Alvin A Burns. He graduated from the University of Missouri class of 1951 with a degree in Business Administration. Bob was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and a member of the military honor society, Scabbard and Blade. Bob met his wife Carol while attending college. He asked for her hand in marriage the night before he flew off to serve in Hokkaido, Japan as First Lieutenant in the 82nd Artillery. A year later they were married. The first ceremony was in Tokyo at the American Embassy, the second ceremony at Tokyo City hall and the third ceremony at Camp Chitose. In absence of a sleek limousine the Army whisked them away from the church in an M-5 weapons tractor. They lived in Japan for 2 years. They raised their sons in Wayne, PA then settled in Berwyn, PA. Bob combined his keen business acumen with his endearing personality to successfully start his own sales business, the R.A. Burns Company. He was a member of Aronimink Golf Club for 50 years. Bob loved a good round of golf but was best known for his trapshooting skills. He was club champion more than once and a master at doubles trap. Bob will be remembered as a fine gentleman, a loving family man with a generous heart and a talent for telling a funny story. Bob was preceded in death by his two sons, Daniel H. Burns and R. Brian Burns. He will be greatly missed by his beloved wife of 61 years Carol Burns (nee Hoyt); his sister Audrey Hoch of Nebraska; his daughters-in-law Lynn and Floranne; his grandchildren, Benjamin, Sandra Tossou (Deo), Lindsay Deasey (Matthew), Haisley; and his great-granddaughter, Margaret Deasey. Services will be private.