Joe Burns, the man as responsible as anyone for the growth of Hermiston in the past 30-40 years, passed away on Thursday at the age of 90.
In the business world, Burns, along with his brother Charles, operated Burns Mortuary in Hermiston and Pendleton for decades.
He was a founding member of the nonprofit Hermiston Development Corporation and served as its president for its first 29 years. During his tenure, thousands of new jobs were created in the Hermiston area. He was a staunch advocate for the area’s farmers and, in 1995, he became the first non-farmer to be chosen for the Oregon State University Agricultural Hall of Fame for his work on improving economic conditions for agriculture in the Hermiston area.
Along with serving on the Hermiston City Council, Burns served in a special session of the Oregon State Legislature in 1971, representing Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, Wheeler and Grant counties. He was treasurer of the Oregon State Republican party for three years and was a member of the Oregon State Board of Health from 1969-1971. In 1986, he received the Volunteer of the Year Award for the state of Oregon from Gov. Vic Atiyeh. He was named Hermiston Man of the Year in 1988, and in 1962 he was honored as Education Man of the Year by the Education Association of Hermiston.
Over the year, Burns was involved in countless organizations including the Hermiston Cemetery District, Hermiston Airport Commission, Hermiston Library Board, Good Samaritan Nursing Home Advisory Board, Hermiston Coordinating Council, Western Heritage Savings & Loan, Hermiston City Budget Committee, and the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce.
He was also heavily involved with Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, serving as past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. He also served as a member of the Eastern Oregon legislative Advisory Committee to the Baker Diocese and the Archdiocese of Portland.
Recitation of the rosary will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015 at 7 p.m. at Burns Mortuary Chapel, Hermiston.
Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015 at 1 p.m. at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Hermiston.
