Dave Burns passed away peacefully on August 3, 2007 at his Los Altos home surrounded by family and friends, after a year-long battle with brain cancer. Dave lived in many places as part of a Navy family, with many years spent in Orange Park, Florida. His favorite place was always California, where he settled in 1982. He received a BS degree in computer engineering from MIT and a MBA from MIT's Sloan School of Management. Dave worked at a number of Silicon Valley companies, including Hewlett-Packard, Software Publishing, SGI and Oracle, before becoming a marketing consultant. Additional years were spent consulting at companies such as Xerox, Quantum and Cisco.
Dave loved children, and more than anything in the world adored his four children, Jon, Isabel, Jillian and Andie. Dave coached soccer and baseball teams for his kids, volunteered at the school, and showed up to every game, recital or award with cameras in hand. Dave loved working at home so that he could greet them at the door after school and help them with their homework. Dave brought fun and laughter to every day, and taught the kids to be kind, responsible, and well-mannered.
In addition to his children, Dave leaves behind and will be greatly missed by his wife, Karlie Arkin, his parents, Doris and Dale Burns, his sister, Darla, his niece, Amber, his nephew, Chuck, and numerous other family members and friends.
Dave shared his lifelong interest in science with those around him. He and his telescope made trips to Tahoe with friends, hosted viewings at the elementary school and hosted Boy Scout merit badges. Dave shared his love of science by volunteering each year to organize the Science Fair at Loyola Elementary School. He encouraged the kids to have fun with science, and not to worry about everything being perfect. Dave had dozens of hobbies, especially enjoying genealogy, 70's rock and roll, movies, travel, and golf. He could easily drive a golf ball 300 yards, if one wasn't too particular about the direction it went.
Dave was a big man with a big laugh, a big family, and a knack for chopping down Christmas Trees far too large for his house. Dave's cheerful heart, hardy laugh, generous nature, quick wit and terrific sense of humor will be deeply missed by his family and friends.
