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Obituaries

Obituary for Oliver Bernard (Bill) Burns, Jr. Oliver Bernard (Bill) Burns, Jr.
Former Westvaco Vice President Dies In Florida

Mr. Oliver Bernard (Bill) Burns, Jr., age 84, died Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in Naples, FL.

Bill was born in the C&O Hospital in Clifton Forge, VA on November 5, 1930.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Oliver B. Burns and Lillian Pfadt Burns, both of Covington. He was also preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, Maxine McFadden Burns and is survived by his sons, Michael Scot Burns of Damascus, MD, Patrick Neal Burns and wife, Wendy Piccolo Burns of Epsom, NH, three grandchildren, Miranda Lee Burns of Charlotte, NC, Erin Elizabeth Burns and Ryan Oliver Burns of Epsom, NH.

Bill attended elementary school in Covington, VA, graduating from Covington High School in 1949, then attended Virginia Southern College in Roanoke, VA from 1949 until 1950 to study business courses.

He became an Eagle Scout in 1946.

He was a member of the Virginia Army National Guard 29th ID Headquarters Battery 227/246 FABn for 16 years (1948-1964).

His working career began at West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company in 1950 as a laboratory assistant in the Main Laboratory testing sewer and river water samples. He obtained a diploma from International Correspondence Schools in chemical engineering in 1961. Bill progressed through several positions in the Covington mill including assisting in the design and operation of the waste water treatment plant and air pollution control systems to supervising the Pollution Abatement Department.

He received the Covington Jaycees Outstanding Boss award in 1965 and the Virginia Water Pollution Control Association Enslow-Hedgepeth Award in 1966 for outstanding achievements in industrial waste water treatment. He was promoted to the Westvaco corporate office in New York City in 1966 as the first Air and Water Conservation Administrator.

He, Maxine, and two sons moved from Covington to Norwalk CT in 1967. He advanced to Director, Corporate Environmental Activities in 1973 and was elected a Vice President of Westvaco in 1980. Bill retired in 1994 as Vice President Corporate Environment, Health and Safety after 43 ½ years of service.

During his career, he represented Westvaco on many industrial committees concerned with environmental protection, including the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, as a consultant for the US Environmental Protection Agency, Chaired the American Paper Institute Air Quality Committee, Board member of the Council of Industrial Boiler Owners, Chaired the Air Task Force of the National Association of Manufacturers and was a senior member of the World Environment Center. He was a member of the Air Pollution Control Association, the Water Pollution Control Federation and the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry. He authored or coauthored several technical and policy papers concerning environmental protection while employed with Westvaco.

He was presented the distinguished Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry Environmental Division award in 1991 for outstanding contributions to the pulp and paper industry.

Bill and Maxine retired to the Vineyards in Naples, FL in 1994, where he remained active in various community improvement projects and social organizations.

A funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Sunday June 7, 2015, from the chapel of Loving Funeral Home with Rev. James M. Smith officiating. Interment will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Saturday evening from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at Loving Funeral Home.

Arrangements are being handled by Loving Funeral Home; www.lovingfuneralhome1913.com.