Ned Hamilton Burns

Ned Hamilton Burns, born November 25, 1932 in Magnolia, AR, died peacefully in his sleep November 5, 2016 at the Arbour at Westminster in Austin. Ned was the youngest of 6 children born to Ila Martin Burns and Andrew Louis Burns. He graduated as valedictorian from Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas where he also was active as a trumpet player in the band. He earned a Bachelor degree in Architectural Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 1954. As important as his college education was to his future career, meeting his lifelong love, Martha Ann Fontaine, at UT Austin led to a marriage that lasted 61 years. After a two year stint in the Army (1955-57), which included 19 months of extended honeymoon in the Pacific Northwest, the couple returned to Austin where he completed a Master degree in engineering at UT Austin in 1958. Ned moved to Urbana, IL where he completed his PhD in Civil Engineering in 1962. Ned returned to The University of Texas at Austin as an Assistant Professor in 1962. He enjoyed a successful career in teaching and directing structural engineering research until he retired in 2001. He won numerous awards for his teaching and advising skills. He co-authored the standard textbook Design of Prestressed Concrete with T. Y. Lin. He became a professor in 1972 and in 1983 was named Zarrow Centennial Professor. He was Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for Engineering from 1989-1993. He was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2000 and named a member of the Academy of Distinguished Alumni of the College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin in 2003. At the end of each class that he taught, he would give his students his philosophy of engineering and life: "The truly great man is he who plants shade trees that he will never sit under."

Ned was a dedicated member of Highland Park Baptist Church for many years, serving as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and in various other positions as well as singing in the choir as a second tenor. He was a wonderful family man who cheerfully attended Girl Scout and Boy Scout campouts, chaired the Johnston Band Parents Association along with Martha, served as PTA co-president and attended too-many-to-count piano recitals, dance performances and band concerts. He enjoyed woodworking and furniture building. He loved to travel with Martha and enjoyed many trips to Peru, Brazil, Europe, China, Thailand, Japan, Hawaii and many other places in North America.

Ned is survived by his wife of 61 years, Martha Fontaine Burns; his daughter Kathryn Burns, PhD of Chapel Hill, NC; his daughter Stephanie Burns Wechsler, MD (Daniel Wechsler, MD) of Durham, NC; and his son Michael Burns, MA (Katherine Murphy Burns) of Austin, TX; three granddaughters, Caroline and Julie Wechsler and Violet Burns; his brother, Alvin Burns of Dallas, TX, his sister, Martha Helen Phillips of Tyler, TX and many other loving family members and friends.

Visitation with the family will be on Friday, November 11 from 5 until 7 p.m. at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home North, 3125 N. Lamar Blvd (at 32nd St). A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 12 at Highland Park Baptist Church, 5206 Balcones Dr. The family would like to thank Halcyon Home Care and Hospice Austin for their care. Memorial contributions may be made to the Central Texas Food Bank.