John Burns, Co-Founder of Rosie Robotics, Team 839 passed this morning from complications after a long, long, long, long bout of cancer. John was an educator, father, mentor and friend to many many people in Massachusetts and across the country. His impact is far reaching, far beyond just FIRST.
Many of you here on CD may not know John, he did not post anything here, but he knew you. He read CD on a regular basis. FIRST was one of his passions. His family, his students and FIRST. He said to me many times that this program has the chance of reaching so many students. He will live on in Rosie and Rosie will be his legacy.
John did things his way and they were usually right.
I am very sorry to hear about this. My teams and my prayers will go out to his Family and your team as well. Pretty bad time for this to happen. If you guys need anything in Atlanta let me know and I will help in anyway possible. Really sorry to hear about this guys.
John was a good-hearted man who cared deeply for his team, Agawam schools, and FIRST as a whole. It was always a delight to see him, and he will be missed.
Condolences from Team 40 and the crew up at intelitek.
I have added Mr. Burns’ picture to the information for Rosie Robotics in our Future Hall of Fame display. If your team would like any more information about him, please send to me at [email protected] or bring it by our booth. I am so sorry for your loss.
John was one of my favorite people in FIRST. Whenever we were at an event together or at one of Rosie’s pasta dinners, John would come up and say, “Kathie, come here. Let me introduce you to someone…” John knew EVERYONE! And then he would show me the latest article that had appeared in the local paper about Rosie. John had an Irishman’s temper… and an Irishman’s twinkle in his eye. He loved to tell stories. He not only was there for his team, but for everyone in FIRST. A week before my FTC event I called him up. "John, I need flags again this year. I forgot about them! " It didn’t matter that he was trying to get his FTC team up to speed for the scrimmage the following day, or that it was a few days before FRC robots shipped, all he said was, “How many do you need?” Last year, at John’s “retirement” party, I learned that he was a dumpster diver. He gave me a paper he had written on dumpster diving which I used in several NEMO workshops this past fall. I got great ideas for scavenging materials from John! Although he stepped down as team leader of Rosie, he decided to form an FTC team at the middle school and his grandson, Seamus, is a member this year. And because he couldn’t give up helping the kids in Agawam, he ran for school board this fall - and won. I staffed a FIRST booth at the recent Natl Science Teachers Assoc convention in Boston and John brought his FTC middle school team to demo. After they finished, John let them loose in the Exhibit Hall and they came back with all sorts of fun stuff including hermit crabs, caterpillars, posters, diodes… and he just shook his head and smiled. He knew those kids would remember going to the NSTA convention for a long time.
And it was really, really very special for me to be in Boston when Rosie won their Chairman’s Award. I know they made him very proud. Thank you, John. We’ll miss you a lot. Every time I see a big straw I will think of you!
Sounds like a great guy, who did a lot for the community. I wish I had met him. I couldn’t imagine this happening to any of the mentors of 1766. It would be like losing a family member.
Our thoughts and prayers are with your robotics family and John’s family in this.
We look forward to playing with you on Galileo and we wish you the best of luck there. Your loss is FIRST’s loss.
Condolences from my self and team 103. We are very sorry for your loss. From the way it sounds John was a great man that was very loved. My he rest in peace, and may the memory of him never die.
Mr. John Burns was one of the best men I have ever met. In the Short three years that I knew him, he toght me many things i never would have ever thought I would learn. He also supported anything any of the Rosie students wanted to try; no matter how crazy it might sound.
He will be missed greatly on team 839. May you rest in peace Mr. Burns.
I didn’t know John, and from reading here it sounds like that was my loss. He surely will be missed, both on your team and in the larger *FIRST *community.
And then he would show me the latest article that had appeared in the local paper about Rosie. John had an Irishman’s temper… and an Irishman’s twinkle in his eye. He loved to tell stories. He not only was there for his team, but for everyone in FIRST. A week before my FTC event I called him up. "John, I need flags again this year. I forgot about them! " It didn’t matter that he was trying to get his FTC team up to speed for the scrimmage the following day, or that it was a few days before FRC robots shipped, all he said was, “How many do you need?” Last year, at John’s “retirement” party, I learned that he was a dumpster diver. He gave me a paper he had written on dumpster diving which I used in several NEMO workshops this past fall. I got great ideas for scavenging materials from John! Although he stepped down as team leader of Rosie, he decided to form an FTC team at the middle school and his grandson, Seamus, is a member this year. And because he couldn’t give up helping the kids in Agawam, he ran for school board this fall - and won. I staffed a FIRST booth at the recent Natl Science Teachers Assoc convention in Boston and John brought his FTC middle school team to demo. After they finished, John let them loose in the Exhibit Hall and they came back with all sorts of fun stuff including hermit crabs, caterpillars, posters, diodes… and he just shook his head and smiled. He knew those kids would remember going to the NSTA convention for a long time.