Joseph Isadore Burns

Joe married the love of his life, Maxine Buhler, on December 17, 1955 at Sacred Heart Church in Sacramento. He is survived by children Thomas (Jami), Patrick (Rita Burr), & Jolene (Vernon Hughes) and grandchildren Pat (Katie), Beth, Katie, Jeremy (preceded in death), Tyler, Sean (fiancée Amelia), and Jason. Joe and Maxine lived a life of faith, service, and accomplishment and passed these traits along to their children and grandchildren.

Joe was born July 26, 1926 to Hugh & Mary (Lee) Burns in Chula Vista, CA. He attended Sweetwater High School in National City, CA. At 17, he joined the U.S. Army on April 6, 1944. He was sent to the University of Idaho entering the Army Specialized Training Reserve Program, an accelerated college program. At 18, he was ordered to active duty and proceeded to Camp Walters, TX for infantry basic training. Upon completion of the training, 6 soldiers including Joe were redirected from a combat assignment & were sent back to school at Pennsylvania State College as part of the Specialized Training Program. He was enrolled in Civil Engineering. When the war in Europe ended, he was reassigned to Headquarters, US First Army, Fort Bragg, NC. He received training in stenography & learned shorthand. His first job was taking dictation from General Hodges, the commander of the first Army. At the conclusion of the war, he was honorably discharged & moved back to CA and enrolled at Stanford University where he earned his Bachelor’s (‘48), Master’s (‘49) and Degree of Engineering (PhD ‘52). He was a member of Tau Beta Pi, an Honorary Engineering Society.

In 1949, Joe joined the California Department of Water Resources, was promoted to Principal Engineer then Assistant to the Chief Engineer (1961-1963) and served as acting Chief Engineer when the Chief Engineer was not available. In 1963-1966, he was Chief Engineer for the design, construction, and maintenance of the Coastal Embankment Project and Brahmaputra Right Bank Flood Control Project in Dacca, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). In 1966, he returned to the California Department of Water Resources as a member of the Claims Appeal Board, working on construction claims for the State Water Project. From 1967-1991 he was Principal in Murray, Burns, and Kienlen (MBK Engineers) in Sacramento, CA. His practice included: hydraulics, drainage, flood control, water supply, and economics of water resource development. He became an expert witness for Federal water rights litigation and spent many years consulting with Sierra Pacific Power Company and Truckee-Carson Irrigation District on all water matters relating to the Truckee & Carson rivers, including finalizing the Truckee-Carson Rivers Negotiated Settlement Agreement between CA and NV, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Sierra Pacific Power Company, and the United States. In 1991-1995, he served as a Consulting Civil Engineer to MBK Engineers. He was very active in the Sacramento Section of American Society of Civil Engineers, serving as President in 1973 & on the Board of Directors for 15 years.

He was Cubmaster for 3 years, Assistant Scout Master and Advancement Chairman for 8 years for Boy Scouts of America, Troop 226 in Sacramento. In Scouting, he assisted 28 scouts to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, was Merit Badge Counselor for 21 years, and recipient of Silver Bear Award from Golden Empire Council. Both of his sons and all 4 of his grandsons are Eagle Scouts. He also served on multiple boards and participated in many community activities including: President (‘78-’79) and Board member for 5 years of the World Affairs Council of Sacramento; Board Member (‘95-’01) for the Stanford Home for Children; Dean’s Policy Advisory Committee for the College of Agriculture & Environmental Science, University of California, Davis; and the Industrial Advisory Board, California State University, Sacramento. He also served as Technical Activities Committee Chairman (‘99), President (‘02-’03), & Board of Directors of the United States Committee on Irrigation & Drainage. While on the International Committee of Irrigation & Drainage, he attended conferences in Egypt, Spain, Mexico, Pakistan, and South Africa.

We rejoice in his life and have truly been blessed beyond measure to have been able to spend so much time with him. He led his life by example of his deep and unwavering faith. We will cherish the lifetime of memories he has given us all.

Services will be held on September 25, 2021, 10:00 am at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, 3235 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95825. An Inurnment Service with military honors ceremony will follow at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 7101 Verner Avenue, Citrus Heights, CA 95621.