John Michael Burns of Riverside died Saturday, October 6, 2018, at Apple Blossom Home at age 93. He was born February 4, 1925, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of John and Wilhelmina (Ulrich) Burns.
John grew up in Crow Agency, Montana and loved to share stories of his Tom Sawyer like mischievous youth. During adolescence he attended Assumption Abbey Catholic boarding school in North Dakota. He proudly served his country in the U.S Navy from 1943 to 1946 during World War II. He served on the submarine the USS Argonaut in the pacific. He was married to Dorothy Ellen Kepler in 1963; she preceded him in death, March 1995: They were happily married for 31 years. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, he was a teacher in the San Bernardino school system for 23 years, and was principal for 10 years. He was a member of St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and attended mass daily. He took special joy in opening the church daily and providing communion as a Eucharistic minister to hospice patients in their homes. He loved his family and was loved by all who knew him. In the 90s Johnny shared with his family (with a huge smile) he would like to go by "Roger Baxter". A childhood friend had this name and John liked it so much he adopted "Baxter" as his nickname. He beamed every time he was addressed as such. He enjoyed a good laugh with friends at breakfast, loved to race walk and to travel the world. One of his favorite memories was seeing Notre Dame play Navy in Ireland.
John will be greatly missed by his daughter, Nikki (Val)Torres of Riverside; his step-daughter Kele (Wayne) Holt of Redmond, Washington; step-daughter Stevie (David) Westberg of Kooskia, Idaho; and grandchildren, Sara (Justin) Hendricks, Mark Torres and great-grandson, Matthew Mendez; step grand daughter Stacy Lawrence of Washington.
He is further survived by nieces, and nephews in Southern California, Montana and Hawaii.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Helen Dyckman, Jeanette Burns, and Mary Lawson.
Funeral services are Saturday, November 3, at St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 3774 Jackson St., Riverside. Burial with military honors will take place at Piercse Brothers and Crestlawn Cemetery in Riverside.
