Richard Otto Burst Sr., a resident of New Braunfels, had 60 twenty first birthdays before passing away unexpectedly on Thursday evening, October 20, 2022, at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital in New Braunfels.
Mr. Burst was born on May 6, 1941 in Guthrie, OK to the late Oscar Emil Burst and Lava Augusta Grapes Burst. He graduated from Guthrie High School in 1959.
Mr. Burst roamed with the harvest, rough necking, highway construction, etc. throughout Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico from 1959 to June 1960 before enlisted in the Air Force with a friend, also in June 1960. After completing his basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, he was assigned to Tin City AFS (Primus Nuntius Radar Station), Alaska as a site crypto maintenance operator.
He was later stationed at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana; Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal; Mt. Laguna AFS, California; and Luke AFB, Arizona before being medically discharged in July of 1968. But it was Bossier City, Louisiana (Barksdale AFB), 1962, where he met the Love of his life at an NCO club dance, Judy Garland Dean. He was 19, she was a sophomore at Bossier City High.
“I married well!” referring to her nature. “Judy thought she was getting an Oklahoma oil man. …I’m sure she understood that I was being frugal when she got into the drive-in by riding in the trunk while I drove, but paid my own way.” They were married December 28th. 1963. They would spend the rest of their lives together until she passed May 16th, 2020.
Mr. Burst enrolled at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. He soon transferred to Tulsa University and earned his Bachelors of Science in Business Administration in 1970. He continued his studies at TU and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 1973. He moved back to Guthrie soon after and became the prosecuting attorney and then the city attorney. He held that position for many years. He also practiced law privately during his time in Guthrie.
The Burst Family moved to Port Isabel, Texas in 1990. In 1991, Richard became assistant district attorney for Cameron County. He eventually moved to Brownsville and became an attorney for the Cameron County Commissioners Department. He held that position until he retired in 2010. Soon after, he moved up to San Antonio, then New Braunfels to be closer to his family. Some of his best times came from scuba diving, snow skiing, sailing, riding dune buggies, traveling, playing cards with friends, and just hanging out with family and friends.
Mr. Burst was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Lava; his brother, James Lee Burst; his sister, Barbara Ann Fishkin; and his loving wife, Judy Garland Burst. Survivors include his children, Richard O. Burst, Jr. and wife, Melissa, Tamara Anne Cairns and husband, David and Ruston O. Burst and wife, Sheila; grandchildren, Wolfgang Burst, Aidan Burst, Noah Cairns, Savana Davis, Jackson Burst, Tanner Davis, Ava Cairns, River Burst and Lorelei Burst.
A Celebration of Richard’s Life will be held from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at the Lux Funeral Home Chapel. To leave a message for the family, please visit www. luxfhcares.com and select obituaries.