David B. McBurnie

David B. McBurnie, age 82, of North Weymouth, formerly of North Quincy, passed away peacefully July 24, 2011, at home after a lengthy illness. David graduated from North Quincy High School and Wagner Sign and Commercial Art School in Boston. He was employed at CI Brink in South Boston for many years as a commercial sign artist before starting his own business D B Mac Signs. David painted the original Boston Gas tank beside the Southeast Expressway in 1971. He was very proud of his painting of the gas tank. He had many pictures of himself on top of the tank and was very quick to show these pictures to all who entered his Cape Cod room at home. Some of his other work that he was very proud of included the CITGO sign in Kenmore Square, the Hood Milk Bottle at the Childrens Museum, and the first three retired numbers of Red Sox players in Fenway Park. David was an avid Boston sports fan. He recently attended a Boston Red Sox game as a guest of the Red Sox with his family. When David was 22 years old, he jumped into icy waters of Blacks Creek in Quincy and saved a boy that had fallen through the ice and was drowning. David was a U.S. Navy World War II veteran and a member of the American Legion Post 149 in Holbrook. He was an active member of Rhode Island Beach Buggy Association and Rhode Island Mobile Sports Fisherman. He enjoyed surf casting for striped bass on East Beach in Westerly Rhode Island with family and friends. He had a passion for lighthouses and gardening in his back yard. The family would like to thank the medical team at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center including Ronald Silvestri MD, Kathy Lyman NP, Suzanne Salaman MD and Charles Morin MD from Weymouth for the outstanding care and compassion given to David throughout his illness. He will be sadly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. He was the beloved husband of 60 years to Muriel (Hirtle) McBurnie of North Weymouth; devoted father of Pam McBurnie of Hingham and Terri McBurnie of North Weymouth; loving brother of Pauline Couillard of Danvers and the late Robert, Walter and Ronald McBurnie and Edith Olson; cherished Papa of granddaughter Meghan Hibbard of Hingham. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, July 30, at 11 a.m. at the Pilgrim Congregational Church, 24 Athens St., North Weymouth, with the Rev. Rachel Bickford officiating. Private burial to be held at a later date at the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne. Visiting hours Friday 5-8 p.m. at McDonald Funeral Home, 40 Sea St., North Weymouth. Relatives and friends invited. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of David may be made to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Attn: Development, 330 Brookline Ave. (BR), Boston, MA 02215. Please make checks payable to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and include David McBurnie in the check memo line or give online at www.gratefulnation.org. McDonald-FuneralHomes.com