Joseph Watson Burns

September 11, 1937 - August 1, 2016

Joseph Watson Burns Husband, father, and friend Joseph Watson Burns left us August 1st in Santa Barbara, CA. Joe was born September 11, 1937, in Cordova, AK, and was a lifelong Alaskan (a real sourdough!). He loved Alaska! Joe loved family, celebrations, and friends; was friendly, generous, hospitable, kind, and had a laugh that would fill the room. He was honest, worked very hard, and gave his children an excellent work ethic. As a Journeyman Power Lineman, Joe travelled all over Alaska for work as well as WA, CA, and states in the east. He was initiated into IBEW Local 1547 August 1, 1960, after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. It was common for his kids to hear him say, “You see these electrical lines… I strung those wires!” He loved being a part of the IBEW family. He helped build the TAPS pipeline and the Snettisham Hydroelectric Project. Following 50 years taking IBEW calls, Joe owned Burns Electric, an electrical contracting business in CA, and was an Alaska property owner and a very patient landlord. Joe was an excellent provider and brought many moose home to feed his large family. He admired the Athabascan culture and was successful at salmon set-net and fish wheel fishing near a Yukon River fish camp at Rampart, AK. Joe loved Robert Service’s poetry reciting “There is a Race of Men Who Don’t Fit In,” “The Shooting of Dan McGrew,” “The Cremation of Sam McGee” many times. Joe met, fell in love, married and lived most of his last 30 years with his beautiful Italian wife Gloria splitting his time between Santa Barbara, CA, and Tok, AK. He made the best steak and some great spaghetti! He was a great story teller, not to mention, an interesting dancer. Joe was hospitable to all. We will miss his cheerfulness in the morning, his stories, his hugs, his birthday songs, his sense of humor, his playfulness, and his laughter. He was a good dad, overcame many obstacles, believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and was a Catholic. Joe will continue to live in the lives of his children and the many others his life touched. Joe was preceded in death by his beloved father Joseph Edwin Burns, mother Alma Gertrude Cleasby, sister Blanche B. Button and brother John E. Burns. He is survived by his wife Gloria Jansen Burns and his children: Joseph E. Burns, Craig Burns, Sallie Lovell (Pat), Zoe Schneider, and Shea Burns (Joanna), Victor Joseph, and children he raised: Tina Long, Joanna Hams (Rob), Grace Lund (Jim), Skip Jansen (Jacqui), Jean Denslow (Rick), Edward Jansen (Allison), Eileen Stanley (Mark) (of AK, CA, WA, TX), and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Joseph W. Burns passed away peacefully in Santa Barbara, CA, surrounded by the love of his family. We will honor his life with a mass at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Montecito, CA, at 11 AM Saturday, August 6th, and at a graveside service and celebration of life in Alaska in 2017.