Peter J. Burns, Sr.
Peter J. Burns, Sr., 86, of Santa
Monica, Calif., died Saturday. Formerly
of New Canaan, Conn., and Sanibel
Island, Fla., he was a
WWII combat veteran
who fought at Iwo
Jima and is featured
each anniversary on
the Military
Discovery Channel’s
documentary “Going
Back.”
Burns was born in
Long Branch, N.J., on
Oct. 19, 1925, graduated
from the Peddie School and
Lafayette College. He served in the U.S.
Navy in both WWII and Korea and had
a 25-year career as a top advertising
executive at Compton, Ogilvy & Mather
and Doyle, Dane and Bernbach.
After retiring from Madison Avenue,
Burns joined the family business and
lived with his wife, Constance Briegs
Burns, on Sanibel Island. His wife of 41
years preceded him in death and he
moved first to Phoenix, Ariz., then to
Santa Monica.
He is survived by four children: Peter
J. Burns, III of Pacific Palisades,
Michael R. Burns of Santa Monica,
Kevin G. Burns of Santa Barbara and
Elizabeth Burns Barlow of Phoenix. He
also is survived by his only brother
Richard L. Burns, nine grandchildren
and two great grandchildren.
There will be a private family memorial
service in Santa Monica and Ft.
Myers, Fla., where his beloved wife is
laid to rest.