Donald Burns

Dave was born on June 23, 1930, in Ashland, the son of Donald C. Burns and Evelyn L. nee Richey Burns, who preceded him in death.

He was a life-long resident of Ashland, member of Trinity Lutheran Church, and 1948 graduate of Ashland High School. While at AHS, he was named Honorable Mention All Ohio in football quarterback and basketball forward. He was a member of the Ashland A's "Taylor Tots" basketball team that won the district championship during the 1946-47 season and compiled a combined 39-5 record during his junior and senior seasons.

He worked at F. E. Myers for 44 years until retirement in 1992. While at Myers, he walked to and from work every day, whether living on Cleveland Avenue, West Washington Street, East Ninth Street, or Ellis Street. He also played on and later coached the Myers AAU basketball team.

He was an avid sports fan and especially enjoyed watching his sons and daughter play for the Ashland Arrows in football, swimming, basketball, tennis, and track. He was a 25-year member of the sideline chain gang at Arrows and Ashland Eagles football games and received well-earned and well-used lifetime passes to AHS and AU sporting events as a result.

Dave was a largely self-taught investor whose investment acumen enabled him to fund the college educations of all six grandchildren. He enjoyed vegetable gardening and always had a bountiful harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and bell peppers. Much of the produce would be given to friends and neighbors or used in backyard barbecues, another activity he immensely enjoyed. Another retirement hobby involved his computer. He regularly kept friends and family who left Ashland apprised of local events via frequent emails with attachments from the Times Gazette and News Journal. He also maintained a contact information data base for the AHS class of 1948.

He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, particularly the regular excursions to Brookside Park to the tennis courts, putt putt, swimming pool, or "crick" to search for minnows, crayfish, or fossils.

He led a full and accomplished life, none of which would have been possible without the love and support of his wife of 62 years, Carol Belle nee Smith Burns, who survives. In their retirement years, they traveled to numerous states to attend elderhostels, and in his later years, they took daily walks throughout neighborhood streets.

Other survivors include four sons; Steve Burns of Ashland, Robert Burns of Mansfield, Joe Burns Joan of Birmingham, AL, Thomas Burns of Ashland; one daughter, Ann Ty Tolliver of Eaton, OH; and six grandchildren, Claire Burns, Natalie Burns, Adam Tolliver, Elizabeth Tolliver, Aaron Tolliver, and Evan Tolliver.

Memorial services will take place on Saturday, July 2, at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. The family will receive friends on Friday, July 1, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Ashland Home of Wappner Funeral Directors, 308 Claremont Avenue. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ashland City Schools Academic Foundation or Hospice of North Central Ohio.