Robert Donovan “Don” Burns (86) went to be with his Lord and Savior on September 1, 2026. He was born on February 7, 1940, in Lubbock, TX.

Don grew up in Lubbock, where he graduated from high school in 1958. He married Lucy Duggar on July 25, 1959. Don was a certified journeyman electrician, and he worked as an electrician for several organizations in Lubbock.

In 1966, Don took a gamble on an opportunity at Reynolds Metals Company (Sherwin Alumina). He moved Lucy and their three small children down to Ingleside, TX, where they have made a home and a rich, beautiful life to this day. Don worked his way up to Electrical Supervisor over the entire Sherwin plant. He worked at Reynolds/Sherwin for 40 years until his retirement in 2006.

Don was the ultimate retired person. In his retirement, he turned his many hobbies into full-fledged passions. Don had a passion for airplanes and flying his entire life. He piloted his own private plane every chance he got. Even two crashes in the same year of his mid-30s could not deter him from the air. Don also developed a love for sailing during his retirement, and would often spend his evenings watching the sun go down on the bay. As an incredibly intelligent, mechanically-inclined man, he spent just as much time “tinkering” with and improving those machines as he did operating them. The man could fix literally anything.

Other passions for Don included visiting his grandfather’s house in Christoval, TX, which to this day remains in the Burns family. He also loved anything to do with antique guns, as well as any kind of museum. And good luck getting out of a gun museum! He also took his family on dozens of great American road trips, driving and teaching and learning the whole way.

Don has been described as a quiet, mild-mannered man with a gentle way of speaking. When he did speak, it was best to listen up because you were either going to learn something fascinating, or you might get to experience his subtle wittiness. That is probably why he had such rich and long-lasting friendships, including those he shared with the “morning Whataburger coffee crew”. Don was incredibly slow (or impossible) to anger, and full of complete and total love. He had immense, pure and unconditional love for his entire family. He would often reminisce fondly of his childhood with his parents and grandparents, he was a top-notch father to his children, and no grandchild has ever felt more loved than the grandchild of Don Burns. Same for the greats and the great-greats!

Don is survived by his loving and devoted wife and partner in life, Lucy Duggar Burns. He is also survived by his three children, Kenneth (Christal) Burns, Susan Harkness, and Crystal Ganschow. And his sweet little fur baby (dog), Marley! Don has 8 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.

Don was preceded in death by his parents John Burns & Ruth Burns. Also, his siblings Johnny Roy Burns, Edrie Ledbetter, and Wanda Logan.

Pallbearers for the funeral are Adrian Hamman, Michael Harkness, Stuart Harkness, William Houze, Andrew Rodriguez, and Justin Trent.

A Funeral service will be held at 10am on Thursday, September 10, 2026 at Bethel Baptist Church in Ingleside, TX. Burial to follow at The Palms Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Taft.