Robert Russell “Buzz” Burner was born in Elko, Nevada, on Oct. 24, 1944, the 11th of 13 children born to Rose Hutchinson Burner and Carroll Harry Burner, from pioneering families in the area. He joined his Lord and Savior on June 27, 2020. Buzz grew up in Elko, winning a basketball scholarship to the College of Idaho. His life was filled with athletics: lifeguard, basketball, baseball, football, track, swimming, water polo, golf, skiing and many other sports in high school and college. After graduation, his first teaching position was at Truckee HS, in Truckee, CA. From there he and wife Debi moved to La Cañada where he spent 38 years teaching business, driver’s ed., physical education and coaching at La Cañada HS. In 1972 he met Barbara Gregg at Mammoth. They married on 8/8/80 and moved to Newbury Park. There Buzz and Barbara established the Burner Real Estate Team. Along with real estate, Buzz continued to teach and was active in officiating water polo and swimming in Ventura County. In their spare time Buzz and Barbara could be found at many a wedding and Bar Mitzvah dazzling with their grace on the dance floor. They also became certified SCUBA divers, diving all over the world, from the Galapagos to Indonesia. They were avid skiers at their condo in Mammoth or in Whistler or New Zealand. Golfing and travelling filled up their spare time, as did walking the beaches in Coronado and Maui. Buzz was active in the MLS, and especially in activities at Church on the Way, where he headed up golfing fundraisers for The King’s University. Buzz also enjoyed his time in Alaska fishing with Vince, Joe and brother Ted as well as fishing every year at Sheep Creek Reservoir on the Owyhee Indian Reservation with brothers and relatives. He is survived by his daughter Kendall “Packy” Burner, two grandchildren — Brett and Blythe — two brothers, many nieces, nephews and cousins, plus the myriad of friends he made in the Conejo Valley, in La Cañada, and throughout the world. Any memorials send to Crosstown Church, P.O. Box 2121, Thousand Oaks, CA 91358.
