Richard E. Burns

Richard Earl Burns, 67, passed away at Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, Friday, July 8, 2016. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 13 at Coburn Funeral Home in Prairie City. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be directed to English Rivers Outfitters, an organization that strives to restore our veterans' strength and independence by providing a safe outdoor experience. Condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com

Richard was born April 18, 1949, to Earl Delbert Burns and Laura Ruth (Elam) Burns at the home of his Elam grandparents in rural Putnam County, Mo. When Richard was five years old, his family moved to Prairie City. Rich graduated in 1969, from Prairie City High School where he participated in track, football and testing his teachers’ sanity.

In 1967, Rich again broke the rules by roller skating in the wrong direction to meet Eileen Tukker at the Dutch Roller Rink in Pella, and they dated through high school. Rich enlisted in the Army in January 1970, training at Ft. Lewis, Wash., and Ft. Gordon, Ga. He came home on nine days leave to marry Eileen Aug. 7, 1970, at the parsonage of Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella. Rich was transferred to Kaiserslautern, West Germany in November 1970, as a heavy equipment mechanic, repairing tanks and heavy duty trucks. Eileen joined him in Germany in January 1971, and their first son, Scott Earl Burns, was born at Landstuhl Army Hospital in March 1972. In May 1972, Rich and his family were transferred to Ft. Carson, Colo., where their second son, Eric T. Burns, was born in May 1973, at Ft. Carson Army Hospital. Rich finished his active enlistment and returned to Prairie City in May 1975. He joined the Iowa Army National Guard, retiring after 22 years of active and reserved military service. He supported his family and Snap-On Tools as a mechanic of agriculture equipment and utility trucks, until his health required his retirement from Aspen Equipment Co. in Ankeny in 2006.

Rich served the Prairie City community as a volunteer fireman for 16 years. He was active in the I.O.O.F. and a member of the American Legion. He and Eileen enjoyed camping with their mules exploring trails in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Wyoming and Colorado. Rich also enjoyed hunting with friends in Iowa and at his “lodge” near Unionville, Mo. Grandchildren were born and added more enjoyment to his life. All his life, Rich valued time with his family and friends, whether he was tipping a stein at a German Gasthaus, twisting wrenches, “brushpopping” off the trails, waiting for “the big rack,” or discovering NASCAR.

Rich is survived by his wife, Eileen Ann (Tukker) Burns; two sons; and five grandchildren, Scott and Carrie (Paulson) Burns and their two children, Skylar and Jacob; Eric and Ami (Vander Linden) Burns and their three children, Taylor, Mia and Carter; three brothers, Frederick (Fred) Burns, Charles (Chuck) Burns and Mark (Bernie) Burns; his aunt, Joyce (Burns) Cullum; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; and a sister, Betty (Burns) Brockman.