William Robert Burns Jr.
1941 - 2025
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William (Bill) Robert Burns Jr. passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in his home in Palo Alto, California with his wife, Peggy, holding his hand by his side.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy Burns, and his five children, Traci Johnson, Max Burns, Mike Burns, Kira Del OImo, Bobby Burns, their spouses, nine grandchildren and his two sisters Bonnie Smith and Leila Spencer.
Bill Burns was born on December 27, 1941 in San Francisco, CA. He graduated from Campbell High School in 1959 and then earned his bachelor’s degree and teaching credential at San Jose State University. Bill dedicated his life to helping others especially the underprivileged to improve their lives. After his teacher corp experience in Indiana, he took a job with San Mateo County Office of Education in 1969 helping non-graduates attain GED equivalency certificates. During that time, Bill was the coordinator of Career Preparation Center helping at-risk youth. In 1982 he worked with education and probation departments to create the county’s first Community Schools Program for wards of the court. By 1986 he oversaw three Community Schools and a mobile van to visit pregnant teens unable to attend school. In 1992 he was named the Administrator of Court and Community Schools and continued to help at-risk youth in the community.
After his retirement in 1997, Bill returned to his love of teaching and poetry, and was hired by Project READ of the Redwood City Library. He became a part-time jail instructor teaching parenting skills and a poetry writing course to the men and women in the country’s jails. He also worked for the San Francisco Giants as a Guest Services Usher and as a Ballpark Tour Guide. He retired from his job with the Giants after 25 years in July of 2017.
As a poet, Bill was constantly writing poetry. Through his poetry he wooed his wife of 45 years and his family and friends have binders of his poems that he wrote throughout his life. As a result of the Project Read inmate poetry classes, the San Mateo County libraries all have published poems from the inmates he taught called “Unlocked Voices”.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Project Read funded through Redwood City Friends of Literacy.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy Burns, and his five children, Traci Johnson, Max Burns, Mike Burns, Kira Del OImo, Bobby Burns, their spouses, nine grandchildren and his two sisters Bonnie Smith and Leila Spencer.
Bill Burns was born on December 27, 1941 in San Francisco, CA. He graduated from Campbell High School in 1959 and then earned his bachelor’s degree and teaching credential at San Jose State University. Bill dedicated his life to helping others especially the underprivileged to improve their lives. After his teacher corp experience in Indiana, he took a job with San Mateo County Office of Education in 1969 helping non-graduates attain GED equivalency certificates. During that time, Bill was the coordinator of Career Preparation Center helping at-risk youth. In 1982 he worked with education and probation departments to create the county’s first Community Schools Program for wards of the court. By 1986 he oversaw three Community Schools and a mobile van to visit pregnant teens unable to attend school. In 1992 he was named the Administrator of Court and Community Schools and continued to help at-risk youth in the community.
After his retirement in 1997, Bill returned to his love of teaching and poetry, and was hired by Project READ of the Redwood City Library. He became a part-time jail instructor teaching parenting skills and a poetry writing course to the men and women in the country’s jails. He also worked for the San Francisco Giants as a Guest Services Usher and as a Ballpark Tour Guide. He retired from his job with the Giants after 25 years in July of 2017.
As a poet, Bill was constantly writing poetry. Through his poetry he wooed his wife of 45 years and his family and friends have binders of his poems that he wrote throughout his life. As a result of the Project Read inmate poetry classes, the San Mateo County libraries all have published poems from the inmates he taught called “Unlocked Voices”.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Project Read funded through Redwood City Friends of Literacy.
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