Hobert W. Burns

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Lowell High School Hofstra University Rutgers University San Jose State University Sonoma State University Stanford University Syracuse University

Hobert Burns Obituary

Hobert W. Burns October 13, 1925 - October 14, 2008 Hobert Warren Burns, former university professor, Academic Vice President and Acting President of San Jose State University and former Interim President of Sonoma State University, died on October 14 in his home in Los Gatos after a short battle with cancer. Bert, as everyone called him, said the turning point in his life was in middle school when the principal referred him to renowned Lowell High School in San Francisco. He claimed that this rich educational experience made him see potentials in life he had not seen before. He graduated high school in the middle of World War II and joined the Coast Guard. He rarely spoke about his war experience, but proudly wore his Purple Heart lapel pin. When his long time friends learned that Bert was awarded the Navy Cross, his reference to the medal was, "I was just a dumb kid." The G.I. Bill enabled him to earn an A.A in 1948 from Menlo College, where he was student body president. His B.A. and M.A. degrees in political science from Stanford University followed in 1950 and 1951, and an Ed.D. in 1957. At Stanford, he met and married Patricia Rowe. Bert held college teaching and administrative assignments in New Jersey and New York from 1957 to 1966. He was a Fulbright scholar in Chile from 1959-1960. He joined Syracuse University in 1960 as chair of the Department of Cultural Foundations. In 1963 he was named the first Dean of the College of Education of Hofstra University in New York. Bert and Francis Villemain established the Studies in Philosophy and Education in the 1960s. In 1966, SJSU President Robert Clark invited Bert to return to the West Coast to hold the new post of Academic Vice President. He immediately began strengthening the general education program, the role of school deans and acted as a strong voice for the administration in the Academic Senate. The entire CSU system adopted the model for general education he created. Bert was Acting President of SJSU during 1969-1970, coinciding with the protests against the Vietnam War. He was credited with forging a student-faculty-community coalition that helped spare the campus the tumultuous unrest other schools experienced. Bert regularly voiced his personal anti-war views, yet resigned on principle as Acting President in May 1970, after the faculty voted to relax academic requirements to give students time to protest the Vietnam War. He and then Governor Reagan did not always see eye to eye, but developed a friendship based on mutual respect. Bert returned to administrative and teaching posts from 1970 to 1983. In 1979 he received the faculty honor society's first Exemplar Scholar Award recognizing outstanding teaching. Bert was an early supporter of women's sports, Title IX, and athletics in general. Bert's well-composed memos to various administrators and faculty members were legendary. They could be frank, thoughtful, humorous, supportive, and sometimes biting. He devoted special attention and effort to the Spartan Foundation. In 1983 CSU Chancellor Ann Reynolds appointed him interim president at Sonoma State University. Retiring in 1984, he and Patricia devoted time to the golf course, a longtime passion. Bert also took great pleasure in civil war and genealogic research and his buddies in the "Over the Hill Gang." Bert's lifelong commitment to educational reform was reflected in his publication of 9 books and 99 scholarly articles. Even during his administrative career he always taught classes. He once wrote, "A wonderful school experience at Lowell High led me to want to be a teacher. I've never regretted that conclusion and the life to which it led." He and Patricia were strong supporters of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, funding an annuity for a Special Collections Endowment. Recently, Patricia made a donation for a California history collection. Ruth Kifer, university library dean said, "Both Bert and Patricia have been such strong supporters of the library from its initial opening because, as Bert told me, 'I just love libraries.'" Bert is survived by his wife of 54 years, Patricia, daughters Carol and Janifer, son and daughter-in-law Charles Burns and Annie. Other survivors include grandchildren Donna, Monica, Ryan, and Clare, god-daughter Cecily, brothers- and sisters-in-law Charles and Merle Burns and Katharine and James Bower. Bert loved his cat and dog family, especially OJ, Wilbur, Aqui, Alla, and Poco. A memorial service will be held Sunday, October 26 at 2:00 pm in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on the corner of San Fernando and Fourth Streets in San Jose. Donations may be made to the Hospice of the Valley in San Jose. (www.hospicevalley.org).

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Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Oct. 19 to Oct. 20, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Hobert Burns

9 Entries

Stefanie Scoppettone

January 5, 2009

Dear Patsie and family,
My first job after college was working in the President's Office at SJSU when Dr. Burns was president--that was really starting at the top! Almost 40 years later, and after much time spent working in education, I know that he was the best college administrator and leader with whom I've ever worked. And I really wish I'd bought that gullwing from him!!
With much sympathy but also the deepest admiration for Dr. Burns' life and work,
Stefanie (Quartana) Scoppettone

Patricia Villemain

October 23, 2008

Hobert Burns and his wife Patsy (his bride as he like to call her) have been friends with my family and me since the fall of 1958. He and Francis were both serving on the faculty at Rutgers University at the time. I remember the date so exactly as it was shortly before our first daughter, Aylette, was born.

Fast forward to 1975 when Hobert invited Francis, my husband, to become Dean of the College of Education at S.J.S.U. He accepted and we moved to Palo Alto and wonderful years in California. As a bonus, we found a home not far from the Burns. It was within a bicycle ride away from them, which our daughter Marissa had stipulated upon moving.

About 2 years after Francis died, our middle daughter, Cecily, was married. Hobert stood up with her in his stead and gave her away. It was a wonderful gesture that softened the fact that her father could not be there.

Hobert never lost his sense of humor and quick mind. About a day and a half before he died I phoned and asked if he remembered a certain quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes. It went, "I like to pay taxes. With them I buy civilization." As I said the last sentence, he joined me in quoting it.

My family and I will miss him forever.

Robert L. Spaulding

October 22, 2008

I first met Bert Burns in 1963 when he was Dean of the College of Education at Hofstra University in New York. He recruited me from the University of Illinois to chair the Department of Elementary Education at Hofstra. During my two years at Hofstra, Bert gave me unconditional support as I worked to build and staff the program in elementary education.
In 1970, when Bert had become Acting President of San Jose State University, he encouraged me to come to SJSU as a research professor in the School of Education. He was a source of wisdom and support during my time at SJSU and I owe him great credit for creating the academic environment that led to the exemplary growth and quality of programs in elementary education and child develoment at San Jose State University.
I am grateful to have been able to talk with him shortly before his passing. I send my condolences to Patsy, Charlie, and Janifer. I will miss him greatly.

W. Warren Kallenbach

October 21, 2008

Bert Burns and I were enrolled in our respective doctoral programs at Stanford University in the early 1950's. I didn't see him for a long time after he (and I) received our degrees. He was considered one of the outstanding doctoral candidates of that time and after. Later, he came to San José State and, not too much later, he persuaded Francis Villemain to come as the Dean of our of School of Education. Two major and splendid appointments to our university. The University and School greatly benefited from both of them. My family and I enjoyed living in Palo Alto not far from the Burns and Villemain families.

Edith Crowe

October 19, 2008

I worked with a lot of people in my almost 35 years at SJSU, but Dr. Burns was one of the most memorable. I rarely use the word "prioritize," but whenever I do I feel him looking over my shoulder with disapproval! As Faculty Emerita recently retired from SJSU Library, I appreciate his support over the years. He will be both missed and remembered by many.

Aylette Villemain

October 19, 2008

The hole Hobert leaves in my family's universe is hard to characterize. The Burns family has been so intertwined with ours, the Villemains. Particularly, once we made that final move to California when Hobert brought my father, Francis Villemain, to SJSU in 1975. We lived around the corner, then. All the jokes, the gimlets, the philosophizing, political arguments, the perennial fight over who would pay the restaurant bills. With my own father's death in 1992, Patsy and Hobert became even more important, particularly for us three daughters. In many ways, they have become ersatz grandparents for our children.
Hobert is probably the wisest person I've ever known. Solid academic grounding and a curious mind are a good start, of course, but he also had an unusually keen understanding of people and the sense of humor one needs to see clearly. I had the great good fortune to study at SJSU while Hobert was AVP. Not only did I take his logic class (from which I continue to profit), but was the number one photocopier in his office, under Celeste's eagle eye, for a couple of years. Working in his office exposed me to a management and administration style that, again, was more important for my later life than a great many of my classes. Not only that, but I got to ride home with him after class -- Hobert drove differently (better) than anyone. He also told good jokes.
Unlike so many of his generation, he became very comfortable with computers and email. Thankfully, for that made it possible for me, always from such a great distance, to ask how I should vote on local issues and pose arcane History and English grammar questions. How lucky we were to have him in our lives -- a good 40 years longer than he'd ever counted on.

Sarian Loum

October 17, 2008

To the Burns Family:

I expressed heartfelt sympathy on the passing of Hobert. I've only known him for a short period but he was always polite and all smiles despite his trials.
May he rest in perfect peace.

Charlie Burns

October 17, 2008

To my brother who I loved so much. You will reside in my heart for ever

Charlie

Don Burns

October 17, 2008

I send my love and sympathy to my aunt Patsie, cousins Carol, Janifer and Charlie. Also to my father Charles my uncles brother.

On a personal level, my uncle was a man I respected for his educational accomplishments, military service and athletic abilities. Not mentioned and as told to me by my father Charles, his brother was a very good baseball player in high school and I believe he said he and Jerry Colman were the best shortstop and second base combo around in the day.

In the late 60's, 66,67 when my uncle Bert returned from the east coast, I remember he showed up at one of my baseball games. I'll always remember him pulling up and parking his car to watch me play. I went 4 for 4 that day including a home run, probably the best hitting day of my high school playing days. He walked up to me after the game, put his arm around my shoulders and said "good game" like he expected it from his nephew....

I had trouble as a teen in the 60's and several times my father must have requested uncle Bert write to me one of his "letters". His letters to me were always personal and he helped me understand what I was going through as a young man. It always helped and gave me direction that sometimes a teen wouldn't take from his own mom and dad. I could always walk into his office at San Jose State, sit down and talk. He always made time for me.

I loved and respected this man.

Don Burns

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