Robert Louis BURNHAM

© Enid news and Eagle

06-01-2012

Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

ENID — Robert Louis Burnham was born June 16, 1930, in Jet to Glenn Upton and Golda Elma Manning Burnham.

After high school his work took him many places: growing corn in Oklahoma; working in the cantaloupe fields in Rocky Ford, Colo., and the grain elevator packaging pinto beans; working at the Colorado Iron and Fuel at the co-op; building the first concrete grain elevator in Hooker; working for the railroad in Jet.

In 1948, he enlisted in U.S. Navy, and this adventure took him all over the world and back: boot camp on 32nd Street Naval Base in San Diego, Calif.; Long Beach, Calif., to serve on USS Pasadena CL65, which went to Guam, Hawaii, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Yokosuka, Japan, the United States, Juneau, Alaska, Bremerton, Wash., to decommission the ship; to Oregon, where he met his future wife, Constance Mae Corwin.

They were married Oct. 7, 1950, and from that union, two sons were born, Robert Lee "Bobby" July 29, 1951, in Oregon and Kenneth Dale Aug. 30, 1955, in Sasebo, Japan.

Duty called again: Unit 4, 7th Fleet in Sasebo, Japan, USS Windham Bay, a carrier in Alameda, Calif.; electronic school for guided missile radar training in Pomona, Calif.; USS Norton Sound, a guided missile ship in Port Yneme, Calif.

His wife followed her husband, Robert, to San Diego, Calif., for guided missile instructor at the Naval school command. Then more travel:Pomona and Vallejo, Calif., to set up the guided missile school training center at Sasebo, Japan; training at Johns Hopkins University at Norton Sound; aboard the USS Richmond K Turner to Vietnam as an engineer; guided missile school at Charleston, S.C.; a test engineer at weapons station in Charlotte, S.C. Robert retired as a Master Chief, then joined Fleet Reserve in November 1967. He was a civilian engineer for the U.S. Navy for 18 years and was sent to Netherland Record Station in Port Yneme, Calif. He retired again to Huntington Beach, Calif., working for naval weapons station. He went to work with Civil Service on the inspection part of the USS Galveston, a cruiser.

After the passing of his first wife, Robert met and married Hazel Marie Painter, who also preceded him in death.

In addition, he was preceded by his parents. Robert Louis Burnham and Robert's son, Robert Lee "Bobby" Burnham passed from this life on the same day, May 29, 2012, under separate circumstances.

Those left to cherish Robert's memory are his son, Kenneth Dale Burnham and wife Constance of Enid; his grandson, Bradley Burnham and wife Stephanie of Huntington Beach, Calif.; great-granddaughter, Olivia Rose; and God-granddaughter, Esmeralda Parton.

Graveside service for Robert Louis Burnham will be 10 a.m. Saturday, June 2, 2012, in Pleasant View Cemetery, north of Jet, with Pastor Dean Holt officiating. Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home Inc., Helena. Viewing at the funeral home in Helena will be Friday 10 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Memories may be shared with the family at www.lanmanmemorials.com.

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