"A Walk With Angels"

Robert Lee Burns
May 09, 1915, to September 05, 2001

On May 09, 1915, a quiet Sunday morning, into this world a handsome blue-eyed baby boy blessed the home of James Monroe Burns and Ellie Jones Burns of Huntington, Texas.
This precious child, Robert Lee Burns, was not only a blessing to this family but also a lifelong companion to his one true love Felma Burns and spirit-filled father to his sons Jim and Joe, whom he cherished so much.

In order to understand who my father was, one must look into the family that nurtured him and taught him the valued truths he followed and cherished throughout his life. His young life, to the age of nine, was filled with the love and attention of his devoted mother, Ellie. She was, during this time, the major influence on his life. Her untimely death when he was nine made an impact on him one could see many years after her death.

Growing up in the 1920’s one can visualize him walking through the east Texas woods with a 22 rifle in one hand and a fishing pole in the other. These formative years in
his young life gave him a profound respect for nature and the beauty of God’s creation. He has, on many occasions, blessed us with stories of his ventures. I think it was
during these times that he realized the farther to a fishing hole the larger the fish would become on his way home. Although he would not lie, he would however make it clear he would tell you the truth three or four ways before he would lie to you.

His education was important since his father was a teacher. He excelled in his studies and ventured farther and farther from the small town atmosphere of Huntington, Texas. He graduated from Lufkin High school where he lettered each year in football.

It was during his mid 20’s his father, whom he respected and trusted so, introduced him to a certain body of principles and rules of morals, duties, and conduct, taught
in The Masonic Fraternity. Robert Lee Burns’ grandfather, Cicero Benjamin Burns as well as his father, James Monroe Burns were both Past Masters of the Homer Masonic Lodge
number 254 in Huntington, Texas. Robert Lee Burns served as a mason for over 61 years in that lodge in Huntington.

It was at a Halloween dance in Lufkin, Texas during this part of his life he met the only woman he ever loved, Felma Burns. This bond lasted both of their lives, over
60 years. Not even a war could separate these two. Both of them went to Catalina Island, together when dad entered the United States Merchant Marines. This time in his life matured him to the realities of life. War could have changed him, but it was his faith and the help and support Felma gave that got him through.

It was during the war he learned a trade that supported our family for over 45 years. The work of welding and burning became an art for him. He was in fact
one of the best at what he did. Even during hard times in the economy he always had a job. One of his old-time work buddies commented, “Robert Burns can cut threads on a re-enforcing rod and screw a nut on it.” 

There never was anyone in the Iron Workers Union Local #84 in Houston that did not love and respect him during the more than 45 years he help build virtually every building that was built in downtown Houston at this time. He said many times, in a comical gesture, that I believe Houston would crumble if I had all my welds back.
He was one of a kind.

Nothing was more important to him than his family. I believe it was the loss of their firstborn twins in the late 40s that made mom and dad so protective of Jim and me.
I remember the stories dad would tell about mom tying Jim and me to the bottom of the boat to keep us from falling out. One story was the most comical to me. 

While fishing at the Neches river, they put Jim and me in this make-shift pen with chicken wire so we could not wander off while they fished. Mom would constantly check on us and during one such investigation, she screamed that I was missing. Dad came running and both of them began a search. As it turned out I had crawled into an armadillo hole inside the pen.

Daddy was so mad when he pulled me out of the hole. One of the most precious traits of Robert Burns was his sense of humor. I am sure most of us have been on the wrong end
of his teasing. He loved to smile and nothing made him happier than to make someone laugh.

It was during the hardships that I witnessed the character of my father. There was no time he did not put his God first and no time did his faith falter. He held my mother together
for the many years of her pains caused by the accident in 1955. He was the rock that kept our family solid. He put Jim and me through school and stood by us in good as well as
bad times. He sacrificed himself for the betterment of his family. 

He toiled and labored in the hot sun for 45 years to see his sons have what he thought was a better life. He refused to allow Jim or me to consider anything but a college education and a craft that would allow for a better life than he could give. He worried so much about whether he was able to provide what it would take to accomplish this.

It was so hard for him when he noticed his memory was failing. He shed many tears when he shared his thoughts about whether he was a good father and husband. He spent so many years thinking about others and not himself. To me, there is no character more godly than one that
sacrifices himself for his family and others. Before his memory failed he did realize that he was a success and his sons would be there for him and would not let him down. Even though the last years were a struggle for him he was happy and always had that special Bob Burns smile.

I honor my father today as I honored my mother when she passed. I consider myself blessed for the time I have had with both my mother and father. All who knew my dad were blessed in a special way. Robert Lee Burns had a special God-given blessing that could not be ignored, but treasured; a talent to make people smile and a smile that warmed one’s heart. My dad knew the lesson King Solomon wrote about when he said:

“Remember your Creator while you are still young before those dismal days and years come when you will say, ‘I don’t enjoy life’. That is when the light of the sun, the moon and the stars will grow dim for you, and the rain clouds will never pass away. Then your arms, that have protected you, will tremble, and your legs, now strong, will grow weak. 

Your teeth will be too few to chew your food, and your eyes too dim to see clearly. Your ears will be deaf to the noise of the street. You will barely be able to hear the mill as it grinds or the music as it plays, but even the song of a bird will wake you from sleep. You will be afraid of high places, and walking will be dangerous. 

Your hair will turn white; you will hardly be able to drag yourself along, and all desire will be gone. We are going to our final resting place, and then there will be mourning in the streets. The silver chain will snap, and the golden lamp will fall and break; the rope at the well will break, and the water jar will be shattered. 

Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us. After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that man was created for.”

May The Lord Jesus Christ Bless us all as we have been blessed by Robert and Felma Burns. I pray that their souls rest in peace and that they today be with our Lord in paradise.
Amen
Joe Burns
Sept 8, 2001