Burns Swain Hansen was born November 10, 1917 at Monroe, Utah, as the only child of Morris Burns and Mary Vera Swain Hansen. When he was 18 months old, his father died, leaving his mother to raise him alone.
A remarkably bright child, Burns loved to build things and learn how things worked. He was a graduate of South Sevier High School, where he excelled in music and attended BYU for two years on a music scholarship. Deciding that his greater interest was in engineering, he transferred to the University of Utah and graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He paid for his education by playing cornet in many of Salt Lake City's best dance bands. He married Evelynn Sylvester in 1941 in the Manti Temple. They left on a cross-country honeymoon to settle in Schenectady, New York, where Burns would begin his 40 year career with General Electric, which took him all over the U.S. as well as South America. During World War II, he was one of a select group of GE engineers charged with the development, design and testing of the B-29 Bomber and the P-61 Aircraft. After many years of service for GE, he became co-owner of Lectrol, a Bountiful, Utah engineering firm.In 1981 he sold his business interests, his wife retired from 35 years of teaching, and they moved to Monroe, Utah, where he pursued a lifelong dream as a nationally recognized miniaturist, designing and building replicas of museum furniture. Their five years in Monroe, after busy lives, were a short but great bonus, a time for enjoying old friends and new - unforgettable!
Fondly called "Bop" by his grandchildren, Burns was known to his family for what he could build, fix, design and make. His workshop was legendary and the children and grandchildren loved to watch his hands as they worked. He used to say, when his girls were young, "I'm as old as the world and know everything." He came closer to that than most people do in a lifetime. To the end of his life he studied everything - - world events, medicine, spirituality, religion, art, music, science, language and medicine. He was truly a Renaissance man.
He is survived by his wife, three daughters and their families: Jan and Dale Fritz (Amy and Josh), Kimberly and Jim Osborne (Libbie and Allie), and Heidi Bangerter, (Nels and Jack).
Neighbors and friends are invited to call at the Osborne home, 439 South 1000 East, Orem, Utah, between 6-8 p.m. on the evening of Thursday, July 2, 1998. Graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 3, in Monroe, Utah. Service under the direction of Berg Mortuary of Orem.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to your favorite childrens charity.
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