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From The Roswell Daily Record, Roswell
E.L. (Skeet) Burns Dies in Car Wreck
Elwin L. (Skeet) Burns, 21, 709 S. Heights, died about 8:30 p.m. Thursday in an automobile accident at the edge of Portales. Burns, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Burns of Roswell, was a senior at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales.
The accident occurred when the car in which he was a passenger failed to negotiate a curve, struck a utility pole and overturned. Driver of the car was identified as Thomas Clark Rickard, 21, also an ENMU student.
Burns was born in Roswell Aug. 8, 1948. He attended the public schools here and was graduated from Roswell Senior High School in 1966. At ENMU he was majoring in art. During high school he was active in the Bob Kisker Chapter, Order of DeMolay. He was a member of the First Christian Church.
Besides his parents, he is survived by his grandmother, Mrs. Ida :L. Burns, Conway, Ark.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Ballard Chapel by Dr. Don Salmon of the First Christian Church. Music will be provided by Steve Henderson, accompanied by Miss Joyce Wells. Burial will be in South Park.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy Gill, John Childs, Marvin curry, John King, Brad Watkins and Dr. Cecil M. Eiffert. Honorary pallbearers will be Gene Reischman, Max Littell, Phil Cathey, Tom Shepard, Phil Picciatti, Johnny Davies and Lt. Bill Sloan USMC.
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Scott Reeves
I remember Skeet well. He and I were DeMolay brothers. He came to Eastern, and I believe it was in 1969 that he was killed in an auto accident as he returned to Portales after a weekend at home. I kept touch with his parents for several years after his death. Mr. Burns was a realtor in Roswell, and one of our DeMolay "Dads."
William Samuel "Bill" Sloan
Remembering Skeet: Skeet Burn’s parents and mine were members of the First Christian Church. I am sure we were reintroduced to each other in Sunday school in 1951 when my family moved back to Roswell. My first actual recollection of Skeet is 1954 during my 6 years birthday party – 8 or 9 of us went to the Yucca Theater on 3rd Street to see Creature from the Black Lagoon. Skeet was somewhat aloof and did not participate in our games with quite the same uninhibited, rambunctious enthusiasm the rest of us demonstrated. Already at 6, Skeet was more interested in doing something else.
One Sunday when we were 8 or 9, Skeet sat with me and my family in church. He must have had new shoes as he brought with him a metal shoe horn. What do 9 years old boys do with anything in their hands? We played with it until a moment during silent prayers we dropped it on the hard floor. We thought the ringing was a particularly dramatic way to sound the end of prayers. Regrettably, the Rev. Haines and my parents did not share our delight at this new service device. Today I can picture the thought bubbles above the heads of the other adults: “Dear Lord, please protect us from the mischief of Skeet and Billy.”
Skeet introduced me to “Mad Magazine” with Alfred E. Neuman “What me worry?” and Spy vs. Spy and Gahan Wilson’s The Far Side cartoons. We spent many a Sunday evening together during church youth groups. He convinced me to join his DeMolay Chapter which resulted in producing a zillion luminarias for our annual fund raisers. More importantly, my friendship with Skeet and experiences in Demolay taught me to stand on your principles, strive to do the right thing even when it is uncomfortable or painful, and be true to your friends.
He was an accomplished cartoon illustrator with creative instincts, a sometimes bewildering mix of dark side/ bright side. In spring of our junior year at RHS I decided to run for Student Council for the following senior year. I asked Skeet to help with my authorized 6 posters. The one we posted in the main hallway between the senior and junior wings depicted an old, robed shepherd with crook and 4 or 5 small, fuzzy, fur ball critters (definitely not sheep). The legend read “We bleep breeders are voting Bill Sloan for Student Council.” A teacher thought there was some hidden, provocative meaning in the poster and quickly I was trying to explain to Mr. Simmons that there was no hidden meaning.
I was especially happy for Skeet during our senior year of high school and his college years at ENMU as he had developed a wonderful relationship with a young lady; he was breaking through his hard shell. The obituary from the Daily Record which I retyped into this forum was mailed to me in Quantico, Virginia by my mother. I have kept it through 20 some odd moves.
Skeet, thank you for being my friend and for helping me be a better friend.
Bill
Rhonda Berning (Zinn)
I never knew Skeet Burns, but you have written a wonderfully awesome recollection of you relationship with him.......thank you so much, Bill.
Doris Flood (Burton)
Bill, what a wonderful tribute to Skeet. You were and are a true friend. Many of us can only wish we had such a friend to remember us when we are gone. I remember you guys in DeMolay and the trip to ABQ to the State Conclave when I was your sweetheart. You have always been special guys in my eyes. Thanks for the memories. I am sure Skeet is smiling over your comments up in Heaven!
Diana M. Codling (Reed)
Skeet was my buddy from the time I arrived in Roswell in 1962. We attended First Christian Church and lived near Skeet so we had many good times. We used to get on our bikes during summer nights and ride for hours. On one of our rides we got "lit up" when one of the tankers started into Walker AFB for a landing. We thiught we were going to be "beamed up"!
Skeet gave me a couple of his paintings and I treasured them. His artistry was something I always admired.
Although his parents would have liked us to be more than friends, we stayed buddies. When he wanted the car to go meet a girlfriend, he would tell his parents we were going for a coke and they gladly gave him the car. I could always find someone at Granny's to spend a few hours with so he could "dump" me! We spent many evenings talking at my house while he brushed my hair. Now that is a good friend.....loved the hair brushing! We shared many a secret and never told on the other.
Miss you Skeet!