Genevieve Burns

Genevieve June Burns, 90, longtime Kerrville resident, passed away peacefully on November 5, 2006 at Cornerstone Hospital in Austin, Texas following a short illness. June was born on June 1, 1916 to parents Florence Edith Barrnet Fowler and Ruben Alphonso Fowler in Cherry Creek, New York and grew up on one of the two dairy farms owned by the family. Both of her parents died when June was 16. She ran the farms, and attended high school until the farms where sold. She then attended nursing school at the University of Buffalo in New York. After graduation, she worked as a public health nurse in Buffalo until choosing to accept a position in Public Health nursing in the Panama Canal Zone in Central America. June had many interesting stories about her time as a Public Health Nurse in both Buffalo and Panama. She often talked about being met at the door of a tenement in Buffalo by a woman with a very big butcher knife, and collecting blood from the prostitutes on the Atlantic Side of the Canal Zone, then going back across the isthmus with blood samples in the mortuary car since it was the only refrigerated car on the train.She met her husband, John Jack Teasdale Burns, a sailor with a Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron stationed in Panama they were married on 08091942, and in 1944 Jack was sent overseas. Their son, John Jack was born in 1944 and their daughter, Adele in 1947. After the war, Jack and June moved to Buffalo, and then returned to the Canal Zone where they remained and raised their family. June worked for many years as a nurse at Fort Gulick Dispensary for the Army. Much of her time as a nurse for the Army was spent working with the 7th Special Forces Group and many friendships were established with the men of this unit. Her husband Jack was a tugboat engineer for the Panama Canal Zone. Jack and Adele have many memories of picnics in Panama at jungle beaches, old pirate forts, and having their Mom and Dad put up the frequent and numerous animals and critters they would bring home from the jungles and oceans. About 1950, Jack and June bought land and built a cottage on Drag Lake near Halliburton, Ontario, Canada and for years the family spent their vacations in Canada working on the building of the cottage. Jack and June spent part of the year at the cottage following retirement, and June continued to spend time there following the passing of her husband. Many life long friendships were established and are still strong. The family has many wonderful memories of the trips to Canada, spending time at and building the cottage. Jack and June retired in 1966 and moved to San Angelo, Texas and after a short stay, settled in Kerrville. For a time Jack and June ran the Hill Crest Motel and finally moved to Wilderness Park. June eventually returned to work for the VA Hospital as a nurse then moved to the Kerrville State Hospital and retired from there on December 20, 1989. June spent many years building happy memories with her children and her grandchildren by including them in her numerous travels. June will be greatly missed by her family and friends in Texas and throughout the United States, Canada, Panama, and other countries. Junes family is grateful for the numerous years that she enriched their lives with travels, stories, and memories. Her family greatly benefited from her positive outlook and her enjoyment and experience of lifes wonders, meeting people and seeing places. The memories of travels and stories will remain in the hearts of her family and friends and keep her close always. She was a remarkable woman who led a remarkable life.June is preceded in death by her husband, Jack Burns who passed in 1976. She is survived by daughter, Adele Ward of Austin and her two sons, David John Wells of Reton, Washington and Dallas Clayton Ward, of Austin, Texas and her son and daughterinlaw, Jack and Karen Burns of Aurora, Colorado, their son, John Curtis Burns, a Junior of Geological Engineering at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada and daughter, Melissa Kay Burns a Sophomore of Biological Sciences at Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colorado. Funeral services will be Friday, November 10, 2006 at Kerrville Funeral Home with Rev. Sam Ligon officiating. Interment will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.Memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, Florida 336071460.

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