Burnham, Francis H. "Buzz" (1921–2017)

BURNHAM, WELCH, BRANSTAD

Posted By: Paul Nagy, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/17/2017 at 13:56:32

Francis H. "Buzz" Burnham
June 26, 1921 - February 10, 2017

Francis H. “Buzz” Burnham, 95, of Forest City, died on Friday, February 10, 2017, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.

Buzz was born on June 26, 1921, in Webster City to Alfred E. and Ella May (Welch) Burnham. He grew up on farms and attended country schools around Kanawha, graduating from high school in Kanawha in 1939. Then, he received a $75 scholarship to attend Waldorf College where he graduated with an A.A. in 1941. Next, he worked at the R.E.A. office in Thompson. While there, he met his future wife of sixty-five years, Julia G. Branstad, at a portable roller rink. In 1942, he enlisted in the Navy to avoid the muddy foxholes. During a thirty-day shore leave in1943, he married Julia. He, ultimately, served on the USS McClelland, supporting operations at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. For his service to his country, he was awarded four battle stars.

After the war, Buzz attended Iowa State College under the G.I. Bill, allowing him to earn a B.S. degree in Industrial Education in 1949. Francis and Julia’s first child, Kitra (Kathleen), was born in Ames two weeks after graduation. He, then, taught industrial arts in Decorah, where their second child, Alan, was born in 1950. In 1952, he completed the requirements for an M.S. in education at Iowa State University. In 1954, the family moved to Marshalltown where he taught vocational and adult education until retiring in 1983. Active in the Iowa Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA), he served as the original State Advisor from 1966 to 1968 and received the Dedicated Service Award for 1971-72. He thought he needed to treat all students with respect and help those who did not relate to the traditional academic program learn the skills needed for a productive occupation. He served as Vice-President of the Iowa Retired Teachers Association in 1992 and received the National Retired Educator Award for Iowa from the National Retired Teachers Association in 1997.

Buzz lived a life of service to others—not so they would become indebted to him, but because he had a desire to serve others. This spirit motivated his active participation in the United Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday school and sang in the choir for many years; in the Lions Clubs in Marshalltown and Forest City; and in the VFW, American Legion, Kum-Along Club, Heritage Park, Dollars for Scholars and tutoring programs, and the history projects at Waldorf College in Forest City. He received the Outstanding Older Iowan Award in 1985 from the State of Iowa Commission on the Aging, the Volunteer of the Year from Forest City in 2006, and the Governor’s Volunteer Awards from Governors Terry Branstad in 1986 and Thomas Vilsack in 2003.

Buzz served in many roles in the Lions Clubs. He collected used eyeglasses for the sight program. He earned a Master Key for membership recruitment, Lion of the Year awards in Marshalltown and Forest City, a District Service Award, the Ralph A. Whitten and Warren Coleman Awards from the Iowa Lions, and the Lions highest award, the Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Dedicated Humanitarian Services, from the Lions International Foundation.

Buzz showed his family the natural wonders of the United States while driving to International Lions Conventions in Atlantic City, Miami Beach, and Los Angeles, camping along the way. He continued his love of travel for many years, including taking trips around Europe and to Alaska in a VW camper with Julia and Kitra.

Loved by his family, Buzz used his sense of humor to bring cheer to all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his wife; three siblings, Arthur, Ada, and Wendell; and his daughter, Kitra. He is survived by his son, Alan, and his daughter-in-law, Mary, of Livermore, California; their three children, Amy, Emily, and Aaron; and five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 A.M., Saturday, February 25, 2017, at the Forest City United Methodist Church with Pastor Les Green officiating. Private family interment services will be held next to his wife, Julia, at Rose Hill Cemetery in Thompson, Iowa. The Leland V.F.W. Post # 6161 honor guard will perform the military honors. His daughter Kitra’s memorial service follows at 2:00 P.M., also at the Forest City United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Forest City Methodist Church.

Cataldo Schott Funeral Home, Forest City, Iowa, 2017