BURNHAM, JAN
Jan Uwe Burnham passed away on July 19, 2015 at the Charlotte County Hospital.
Jan was born in Neuruppin, Germany on March 15, 1940. Having moved to Sunderland, England with his family as a young boy in 1951, he received most of his education there at Bede Grammar School, Newcastle University, and Durham University. In 1966 he came to Canada to work at AECL in Chalk River, then transferred to Ontario Hydro at Rolphton, ON. That was the beginning of his working life as a Health Physicist. In 1974 he accepted a position with NB Power as one of the nucleus of staff who oversaw the stages of moving the concept of Point Lepreau Nuclear Station to a working reactor. Jan was Manager of Health Physics at Lepreau for a number of years before becoming Director of the Health and Safety Division. In 1997 Jan retired but continued to work in his profession by accepting relatively short contracts with various companies.
It was generally known that Jan did not accept contracts during the sailing season. Jan was invited to go sailing with a colleague in 1968, was enchanted, bought a Flying Junior, told his wife later. Jan moved on from dinghies to cruising boats, the last being “Tongadale” which he gave up reluctantly a short while before his death. One of his greatest sailing experiences was a trip across the Atlantic from Norfolk, VA to Hamburg, Germany in 2001. Jan was also a keen amateur photographer, leaving a legacy of remarkable photographs. He was an avid bridge player, and he and his wife enjoyed many hours of challenge at the tables. He loved to read and would build more bookcases rather than give away a book he might want to read again or that he might lend to friends with the proviso that they return them. His interest in traditional jazz began in England and developed further over the years by several trips from Canada to New Orleans where, in the early days of the 70s and 80s he met many of the great artists of their time.
Jan leaves his wife, Nancy (McCullough), son Karl and his wife Darlene (Gallant) and their children Kate, Julia, Blake, and son Steven and his wife Martha (McKean) and their children Lauren and Evan, his sister Elke and her husband Tim Jackson, nieces, nephews, cousins and their children from both sides of the family.
Arrangements have been made with the St. George Funeral Home (755-3533) 26 Portage Street, St. George NB for a service of recognition of Jan’s life by his family and friends to be held at the Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 2 pm. There will be a gathering afterwards at the Saint Andrews Yacht Club, to which all are invited.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to contribute to a charity in Jan’s name should feel free to choose any of the number of worthwhile charities. The family are particularly grateful for the support of both the Charlotte County Hospital and the Regional Hospital in Saint John.
Online condolences and donations may be placed at www.stgeorgefh.ca