William Franklin "B.B." Burns, 88, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2015 at Morning Pointe Assisted Living Facility in Collegedale.
He was born a son of the late Charles and Tennie Walker Burns on Sept. 4, 1926 in Soddy Daisy and was a veteran of World War II. He served in the U.S. Navy from November 1944 to August 1946. He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Area Ribbon. He is a member of American Legion Post 257. He was employed 42 years at Hardwick Stove Company. He also worked as a short order cook for more than 40 years at numerous restaurants in Cleveland including the Spot, Sugar and Spice and the Star-Vue Drive-In Theater. He was a member of the Amateur Softball Association of America and the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. He officiated high school football, elementary basketball and adult softball contests for more than 40 years. He also served as the head coach of the Dixie Youth team, the Senators, for five years. He was elected to the Cleveland Old-Timers Hall-of-Fame in 1992. He was chosen to be an official in the 1999 5A High School Football Championship Game in Nashville. Known in the Cleveland area as the B.B., he worked three jobs for many years putting in 16 hour days mounting stoves at Hardwick Stove, flipping hamburgers at local restaurants and umpiring ballgames at area ball parks.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Dodd Burns; and siblings, Kathleen Gatlin, James Burns and Edgar Burns.
He is survived by his three children, Randall Burns (Cissy) of Bishopville, S.C., Larry (Bo) Burns of Cleveland and Janice Fuller (Max) of Ooltewah; five grandchildren, Michael Burns (Amy) of Greenville, S.C., Jeffrey Burns (Chrissy) of Morrisonville, N.Y., Eric Fuller (Laura) of Chattanooga, Craig Fuller of Dallas, TX and Christopher Fuller (Emily) of Chattanooga; eight great-grandchildren; and numerous nephews and nieces.
A celebration of his life is planned for Wednesday, April 1 at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Companion Funeral Home located at 2419 Georgetown Road with Chaplin Jym Hitte officiating. Interment will follow in the Sunset Memorial Gardens and will conclude with Military Honors.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, March 31 from 5-7 p.m. in the funeral home chapel.
Companion Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.