Chet Burns, 79, of Union, passed away peacefully May 30 at the home of his daughter Cynthia VanGaalen in Union. He was born on March 6, 1931 at the family homestead on Shepard Hill in Union to Lennie Simon Burns and Marion Louise (Thurston) Burns.
He attended Union schools and enlisted in the Marines. He was honorably discharged in 1952 and over his lifetime worked at a variety of jobs, mostly doing construction and carpentry. In his earlier years, Chet worked for Rockland Grain Company, White Creamery, and as a woodsman. He spent several years working in construction at “The Top of the World”, Thule, Greenland at the Air Force Base and then on Fischer’s Island in New York. During his later years, he was self-employed doing carpentry jobs with various friends. He also ran Burns Slaughtering Shop, having learned the trade from his father.
Chet’s favorite pastimes differed over the years: stock car races, hunting, fishing, gardening, feeding the birds, caring for his pets, and golf. He was a member of the Union Country Club. He also was chosen for the Big Buck Club of Maine.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his second wife June Noyes Hart; brothers Keith Burns and Reginald Burns; brother-in-law Ralph Mank; and son-in-law Billie Joe VanGaalen.
Chester is survived by his sisters and their husbands, Arlene Ross and husband Doug of Union and Fla., and Arabelle Davoll and husband Ernie of Rochester, Mass.; sisters-in-law, Armajean Burns of Warren and Mary McCluskey of Thomaston; the mother of his nine children, Eva Niemi Burns, and their large family, Irene Hawes and husband Ron of Union and their children Jon Hawes and Matthias Hawes of Union and Jana Anderson and husband Michael of Halifax, Nova Scotia; Cindy VanGaalen of Union; Chet Burns, Jr. and wife Jean of Philadelphia, N.Y. and their children Scott Burns and wife Kristen and son Gavin of Syracuse, N.Y., and Thomas Burns of Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Karen Burns and daughter Bridgett Coleman and her daughters Marissa Friedel, Kaitlynn Friedel, and Mikala Coleman of Biddeford; Timothy Burns of Union and his children Alana Burns of Orono and Jonathan Burns of Atlanta, Ga.; Theresa “Tena” Henry and husband Artie of Warren and their children Andrew Henry and wife Deirdre and children Kolby and Hunter of Haverhill, Mass., Arnold Henry and wife Lydia of Lawrence, Mass., and Amanda Henry and partner Dwight Nickles and their son Damian of Warren; Susan Talbot of Union; Angela Burns of Union and her daughter Katie Boynton of San Francisco, Cal.; Valerie Belyea and husband Tom of Union; plus several step-children, many extended family members, and several special friends.
A family picnic will be held next weekend to celebrate his life. Chet requested no other services. After cremation, his ashes will be spread in the fields off Stone Road in Union. His military burial stone will be placed in Lakeview Cemetery in Union.
Should friends so desire, donations may be made in Chester’s memory to The Humane Society of Knox County, P.O. Box 1294, Rockland, ME 04841; The Kidney Foundation of Maine, 470 Forest Ave., Suite 302, Portland, ME 04101-2009; or Kno-Wal-Lin Homecare and Hospice, 170 Pleasant St., Rockland, ME 04841.
Arrangements are under the direction of Smeltzer Family Cremation and Funeral Service, Waldoboro.
