Keith R. Burman

Keith R. Burman November 25, 1929 ~ April 3, 2012 A Life Well Lived "When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home." Chief Aupumut 1725, Mohican Keith R. Burman, 82 years young, died on April 3, 2012, following a brief illness at the end of a very full life. He died peacefully in his home in Timnath, Colorado, surrounded by family and looking out over his beloved Rocky Mountains. Keith was a wonderful husband and a great father and friend, who never complained a day in his life. He had an uncanny ability to bond with people quickly, a trait which earned him many friends and admirers. He taught his children many lessons, including how to respect all others, how to work hard and play hard, and the importance a man's word. Keith was born November 25, 1929, in Marshalltown, Iowa, to Ross and Myrtle Burman. He was raised in Burlington, Iowa, where he attended Burlington Junior College and then went on to the University of Iowa, where he was a proud member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and the Hawkeye tennis team. Following college, Keith married Janet Thomason, also of Burlington. Keith served in the Army, and upon his return to Burlington, he and his father purchased L&M Motors. In 1959, Keith found a Chevrolet dealership for sale in Laramie, Wyoming, and moved his family West. Burman Chevrolet eventually acquired all of the General Motors product lines. Keith was a loyal GM man, who never owned any other make of vehicle. Keith fell in love with Wyoming. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and he became a die-hard Wyoming Cowboys Fan. He was also an active member of his community, serving as President of the Laramie Downtown Redevelopment Committee, the Laramie Auto Dealers, Wyoming Auto Dealers, and the Laramie Country Club Board. He was also a member of the Laramie Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, City Council, Rotary Club, United Way, and the Cowboy Joe Club, among others. Keith and his wife, Sharon, were married in 1980 in Hanalei Bay on the Island of Kauai, a place which remained dear to their hearts. They added two more children to the Burman clan for a total of six children. Keith was a private pilot who enjoyed his sky-high vantage point of Wyoming and the West from his beloved Bonanza. He also always loved the "art of the deal," and that interest led him to develop real estate in and around Laramie. In the early 80's, Keith began his life as a gentleman rancher and farmer when he purchased the historic Oxford Horse Ranch in Laramie followed by farms in Northern Colorado. Keith's ashes, along with those of his best canine friend, will be scattered in the lake at his cherished fishing ranch near Wheatland, Wyoming. Keith is survived by his wife, Sharon, of Timnath, Colorado; son, David and wife, DeeAnn of Seattle; daughter, Carol Burman Lindly and husband, Steve, Cheyenne, Wyoming; daughter, Sarah Burman Woods and husband, Randy, Westcliffe, Colorado; son, Tom and wife, Kathy of Laramie, Wyoming; daughter, Beth Burman Frazee and husband, Eric, Missoula, Montana; and son, Christian, Fort Collins, Colorado. He is also survived by his ten grandchildren: Kendall Burman Volkman; Blaire Burman; Daniel, Elizabeth, Emily, and Matthew Lindly; Lauren and Madeleine Woods; and Drew and Nathan Burman, as well as nephews, Bob and Steve Ogden and many wonderful friends. Keith was also the very proud great grandpa of Ren Volkman of Washington, D.C. In addition to his parents, Keith was preceded in death by his sister, Beverly Ogden of Phoenix, Arizona, and his former wife, Janet. Keith requested that a gathering in his honor take place three months after his death, in the hope that his family and friends could replace some of the sorrow in their hearts with joy in remembering his wonderful life. Therefore, a celebration of Keith's life will be held on Saturday, July 14, at 200 p.m. at the Wildcatter Stadium Club on the University of Wyoming campus. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you honor Keith's memory with a memorial gift to one of the following: Wyoming Children's Society, 314 East 21st Street, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82001, or the Cowboy Joe Club Scholarship Fund, University of Wyoming, PO Box 3414, Laramie, Wyoming, 82071. A reminder will be published prior to the event. Keith touched thousands of lives and will live forever in our hearts. He was our hero.

Tributes

Keith R. Burman

November 24, 1929 - April 3, 2012