On Friday February 17th, Brian St. John Burns Sr. sent off on his final flight at the young age of sixty-three, unexpectedly in his home in Poway, California. 

 

Born in Woodstock, Illinois on September 23rd, 1959 to George and Elizabeth Burns, Brian was the youngest of eight. After a childhood full of evading trouble, horseback riding to high school and shenanigans with his brothers, Brian enlisted in the Navy in August 1976 in the delayed entry program, requiring a permission slip from his parents, graduating from Dundee High School in June 1977 and entering active-duty August 11th, 1977. 

 

Upon his graduation from recruit training, his father wrote him a letter stating that he was a “fine son – launched into manhood with a terrific attitude and an enthusiasm for life”, noting that this is how they felt he would continue out the rest of his life, and that he did. (read “the letter” here).

 

He had an illustrious naval career with highlights such as working with F-14’s, being attached to TOPGUN, “Maintenance Officer of the Year” and upon retiring after thirty years he parted ways as Lieutenant Commander.  (full navy career here).

 

Brian was an avid car collector, belonging to the Classic Chevy club, his claim to fame was his Chevrolet 55 “Double Nickel” was in the movie Top Gun and meeting Kenny Loggin’s and Miss Mexico. He loved to collect, work on, and not work on classic cars with his brothers, starting Burns Brother’s Performance with them as a family.

 

Everyone that knows Brian, knows what it’s like to be given “guff” and picked on with a smile, that there’s nothing like catholic guilt and he’s the first person to tell you to “knock it off” if you start behaving badly. He was always right, and he was always there when you needed him and would drop anything to help others, his selflessness was unmatched and always will be.

 

Brian was preceded in death by his father and mother, George and Elizabeth Burns and his brothers George Jr. and Leo. 

 

He is survived by the mother of his children and best friend, Dawn Burns, their three children, Robert (Lips), Brittany (Angel Face) and Brian Jr. (Bri Man), his brothers Martin, Michael, Patrick (Kat Man) and Tom, his sister Roberta, his two grandchildren Ezra and Braxton, several cousins, nieces, nephews, an entire fleet of classic cars, and

his thirteen-year-old beagle Bixby. 

 

In lieu of flowers and donations, please do as Brian would – pick on those you love, shop at Costco, do good for someone else and  hug your family.

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