BURNS

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Sunday, November 09, 2008 at 04:25:44 :

Independent Journal
Wednesday, December 5, 1979
Page 4

FRANCIS C. BURNS

The funeral for Francis C. Burns, dean of Marin florists, will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Mount Tamalpais Cemetery in San Rafael.

Burns, 86, died Monday at a local convalescent home.

For more than 60 years, Burns ran what is believed to be the oldest firm in Marin to operate continuously under the same management. Today his sons continue to run Burns Florist in San Rafael.

Burns was born in Campbell and moved to Marin with his family in 1908 when he and his father, Charles Burns, first opened a small shop on San Rafael’s Fourth Street. Two years later his father died, leaving the business to Burns, then 17, his brother, Archie, and their mother.

The brother, now deceased, left in 1911 to pursue art studies, and Burns took over the business.

The shop has been moved several times, lastly to the present location on Fifth Avenue in San Rafael in 1955. Burns continued to work there with his sons until he retired in 1976.

In addition to his business, Burns enjoyed developing new varieties of flowers in his garden, hunting and fishing and collecting letters and envelopes connected with California history.

He also was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge, Philatelic Society American (sic), Woodmen of the World, E. Clampus Vitus, Sons in Retirement and was a past president of the San Rafael Lions Club.

Surviving are two sons, Earl W. and Robin Burns, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. His eldest son, Francis C. Burns Jr. preceded him in death in 1975.

Visitation at Keaton’s Mortuary will be until noon Thursday.