Soon after his family returned to Tiff City, Missouri their original homestead. At the age of 10 his family settled in California where he graduated from Lindsay High School in 1953. Mark went on to serve in the 6th Infantry Division, training as a forward observer in the United States Army from March 5, 1955 through February 27, 1957. He was stationed in Germany and was deployed to the Hungarian border in a time of turmoil. Following his time in the army, Mark attended the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California.
Mark spent the majority of his career working in construction and in 1978 opened his own union commercial construction company, Burns Construction Inc. As a major part of Central Valley (Sacramento to Bakersfield) construction and development, Burns Construction worked on buildings such as: Kaiser Hospital in Fresno, Lockheed Space Telescope in Sunnyvale, and the Tenneco office building in Bakersfield.
Mark married his loving wife, Barbara Elaine Burns on October 20th, 1979 in Fresno, California. In 1983, Mark gave his life to Christ and fell in love with the Lord with his whole being. A hunger began to grow in Mark to serve God and to spread the Gospel. His dedication to serve the Lord over flowed into his work. Mark and his construction crew bought, packed, and delivered boxes of food to the Senior Citizens Village in Fresno. In those boxes was a note thanking God for His blessings. Sharing his love of the Lord to those he served. Opening his home to host bible studies and youth group events multiple times a week for over 15 years to love others as Christ loved him was another one of the many ways he loved to serve the Lord. Along with serving and loving the Lord, Mark loved to spend time with his family and his beloved wife, Barbara, golfing, traveling around the world, fishing, and doting on his grandchildren.
Mark is predeceased by his father Manoah E. Burns, mother Marjorie Remilta Davidson Burns, brother David Michael Burns, sister Meda Marianne Burns, and his beloved daughter, Kelly Danelle Burns.
Mark is survived by his loving wife Barbara of 43 years, his children Joanne and Nol Doss, John and Tracy Burns, and Luke and BaCall Burns. Mark was blessed with fourteen grandchildren, Nolon and Lindsay Doss, Garrett and Faith Doss, Logan Doss and Madi Lee, Alana and Joey Garza, Ian Hunter, Grace Burns, Olivia Burns, Lily Burns, Abigail Burns, and Elsie Burns, and three great-grandchildren, Theodore Garza, Benjamin Garza, and Nolon Doss V. He is also survived by his niece, Ellen Antill.
A Visitation for Mark will be held Friday, October 28, 2022 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at Boice Funeral Home, 308 Pollasky Avenue, Clovis, California 93612.
A Graveside Service will occur Friday, October 28, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at Clovis Cemetery, 305 North Villa Avenue, Clovis, California 93612.
A Celebration of Life will occur Friday, October 28, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. at The Well Church, 4545 North Palm Avenue, Fresno, CA 93704.
Serving as pallbearers are Alana Garza, Joey Garza, Ian Hunter, Nolon Doss, Garrett Doss, Logan Doss, Grace Burns , Olivia Burns, Lily Burns , Abigail Burns and Elsie Burns .
Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children”
Romans 8: 18 & 19. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.boicefuneralhome.com for the Burns family.
