Alan Bernard Burnham

Alan Bernard Burnham passed away peacefully after 97 amazing years on December 2, 2025, in Hood River, Oregon. Alan was born on May 6, 1928, in Fresno, California, to Frank and Estelle Burnham. The oldest of two children, he was an independent and active child, riding his bike to hunt and fish. After graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1946, he went to work in Yosemite National Park, enjoying hiking, camping, rock climbing, and photographing the scenic wonders of Yosemite. He then went to work for Southern California Edison doing maintenance in Big Creek, CA in August 1951. He was drafted into the Army in 1954 where he worked as a radio specialist but was not deployed oversees, and was honorably discharged in May of 1956. After returning from service, he moved back to Big Creek to continue to work for SCE. One fateful night that summer, he had dinner at Johnny's Point in Shaver Lake. Upon leaving the restaurant, he found his future wife, Dorothy Bidwell, searching the parking lot for her keys which she had lost in the dark. He pulled out his trusty flashlight and found them, and Dorothy married her hero Alan several months later in January 1957. Following the wedding, the couple lived in Big Creek, where they raised 2 daughters - Tami and Erin. Dorothy taught reading at the local elementary school and Alan continued working for SCE, going to night school to become an electrician and ultimately a Test Technician, maintaining and troubleshooting the hydroelectric generators of the "Hardest Working Water In The World" which supplied power to much of California.

Alan & Dorothy (AKA Bunny or Dorothy Rabbit) were part of a local bridge group and spent many hours playing bridge with their friends in Big Creek. Alan continued to be an avid hunter and fisherman, known for getting his buck every year, and feeding his family with venison, ducks, geese and fish. He was also an accomplished gardener, and created a beautiful terraced yard in Big Creek where he practiced organic gardening. He continue to garden even up into the last few months of his life.

Alan was quite an athlete. In his youth, he was an accomplished figure skater and loved to dance. He briefly tried skiing before he met Dorothy, but took it up seriously when his daughters started learning to ski in elementary school. Alan spent many hours skiing with his daughters and became an expert skier. When he retired from SCE in 1983 at the age of 55, he quickly went on to become a ski instructor at China Peak (aka Sierra Summit) Ski Area where he taught skiing until the age of 80. In 1987, he started learning a new sport - windsurfing - along with several of his ski instructor friends. He was therefore quite happy when his daughter Erin, and her soon to be husband Je moved to Oregon where he could visit them and go windsurfing in the Columbia River Gorge. He and Dorothy travelled to Oregon every year for 4-6 weeks and he spent many days windsurfing with Erin & Je He was nicknamed the "EverReady Bunny" because he would continue windsurfing for hours while everyone else was sitting on the beach after their sessions. He also started bicycling in his early 60's after his kids bought him a mountain bike. He went on to ride for the next 30 years, organizing teams to participate in multiple fundraising bicycle events including the Livestrong Rides and Tour de Cure. He then began organizing charity bike rides in the Fresno area, and for several years hosted a ride to benefit the Scottish Rite Childhood Speech and Language Clinic. He continue to windsurf until the age of 80, and stayed active after that skiing and biking until the age of 90.

Alan was also active in the Masonic Lodge and Scottish Rite, and was ultimately awarded the honor of the 33rd degree. After retirement, he and Dorothy move from Big Creek to their new home in Shaver Springs. He and Dorothy soon became regulars at the Butterfield Brewery in downtown Fresno, and later at the Sequoia Brewpub. They each purchased a Sequoia mug which entitle them to a free beer each day (or in Dorothy's case - iced tea) and they could be found almost every evening at the Sequoia. Dorothy faithfully recorded every free beer that Alan drank, which numbered in the thousands. They developed a solid community of friends there, many of whom skied or biked with Alan until he and Dorothy moved to Hood River in 2017.

Alan took up painting with acrylics while he lived in Big Creek. He stopped painting after he & Dorothy moved from Big Creek. At the age of 92, with the encouragement of his friend Sorcha, he resumed painting and became quite a prolific landscape painter. He exhibited his work at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital, donating the proceeds from the sale of his paintings to the PHRMH Foundation.

Alan faced the loss of his beloved Dorothy in 2023, after 66 years of marriage. Dorothy Rabbit was his best friend and constant companion. Alan was frequently heard to say "You're no bunny until some bunny loves you." Alan was preceded in death by his parents Frank & Estelle, sister Phyllis & daughter Tami. He is survived by his daughter Erin and son-in-law Je Blackman, 5 Grandchildren - Corbett Blackman, Robin Meyer, Maggie Ruiz & husband Alex , Christopher Meyer & wife Ti any, Jason Meyer & wife Brooke, and 8 great grandchildren - Jacob, Iris, Lilly, Logan, Hazel, Kasen, Korbin & Kory.

Alan frequently pointed out how lucky he was to have lived 97 great years, being active and mentally alert up until the end. Even as he knew he was nearing the end of life, he encouraged us to "Go have fun" and live every day as fully as possible. He was surrounded by loving friends and family during his final days. A celebration of life for Dorothy & Alan will be scheduled in Fresno in the spring.