Joe Burns

Joseph D. Burns, 83, of Glenrock, Wyoming passed away peacefully on the morning of January 22, 2022, after a short illness at Life Care Center of Casper.

Joseph "Joe" Donald Burns was born March 29, 1938, in Neola, Iowa to Donald and Esther "Bonnie" Burns. Joe spent much of his developing years in Neola, except for the years when the family moved to Portland, Oregon for work. Joe was a rambunctious youngster, who according to those who knew him then, got in to more than his fair share of trouble and mischief on the family farm and around town. He loved working with and running the equipment, and this would become a lifelong passion and career for him.

Joe joined the Navy at 17, after a brief disagreement with a nun at his Catholic School. Bonnie encouraged/insisted that he finish high school before he could leave for the Navy, and in hindsight, Joe often said he wished he would have stayed in school. Joe spent 4 years in the Navy traveling as far away as Japan. Once honorably discharged from the Navy, Joe served 4 more additional years in the Iowa National Guard as a reservist.

In 1960, he made his way out to Wyoming, where he worked several jobs and attended Casper College, where he made the Dean's List, before beginning his career as a welder and a mechanic in the Wyoming energy industry. He married Sharon Bixler on August 3, 1963. Joe began a successful welding company, B & R Welding, that specialized in the construction of mining equipment, such as draglines and power shovels. When the economy took a downturn, Joe and his wife Sharon started another company, J & S Welding. While on a much smaller scale, Joe's skills as a welder were in high demand. Joe spent the last 16 years of his career working at the North Antelope Coalmine outside of Wright, WY. Joe retired as a field maintenance supervisor in 1999.

Joe then turned his attention to his yard, gardening, and restoring antique John Deere tractors. He spent many hours working on all his projects, spending his springs and summers outside and the falls and winters in his shop rebuilding and restoring his next project. Joe was also an avid member of his tractor pulling club competing all over the state and as far away as Iowa.

Joe's greatest passion was his family, especially his grandchildren: Kelsey Burns, Molly Burns, Taylor Collins Lippincott, LJ Burns and Jackson Lippincott. He loved spending time with them and was proud of all that they did and accomplished in their lives.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Bobby and Jack, and son-in-law Mark Collins. Joe is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sharon; son Todd (Maggie) Burns; daughter Dee Ann Collins Lippincott; his grandchildren, sisters Mary Helen Greiner and Karen (Duane) Fahn, brother Bill (Linda) Burns and numerous nieces and nephews; great-nieces and nephews; and great-great nieces and nephews.

Joe's sense of humor, ability to make others laugh, his knowledge of machinery and gardening will be missed by everyone who knew him.

The family would like to thank the staff at Life Care Center of Casper for all the excellent care and comfort they provided Joe.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Louis Catholic Church (Glenrock) or to the Mark Collins Nursing Scholarship at Casper College.

A Funeral Mass will be held 11:00 AM, Friday, July 1, 2022 at the church with Military Honors provided by the US Navy and the Glenrock American Legion. A private inurnment will take place at a later date at the Oregon Trail State Veteran's Cemetery.

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