James Aloysius Burns, 88, passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 21, 2026 after having spent several years in the unforgiving grip of Alzheimer's Dementia. Jim's heart always remained in his Pennsylvania homeland, the woods, streams, ridges and gorges of central PA.

Born James Aloysius Burns in Gettysburg, PA on May 28, 1938, Jim was the only son of Aloysius and Catherine Burns. His early years were spent in Shamokin, PA before moving on to Danville, PA for his high school years. The family owned and operated Burns Pharmacy store while living in the apartment above. The opportunity to help his parents out at the store often meant jobs such as ice cream counter service making milk shakes. Jim was extremely close with his immediate family and shared a unique relationship with his Ditzler family cousins who were a foundational second family to him.

As a child, Jim spent time on “the hill” in Plains, PA, where his grandfather and extended family operated The Prospect Coal Colliery. Days spent there would find him watching the steam engines working the coal mine and rail yard. That vision and inner curiosity prompted questions about the forces of energy ultimately leading to a career in the physical sciences starting at Carnegie Mellon University. Needless to say Jim ignored the neighbor who warned him that ”Science is a tough row to hoe”. Jim also participated in Scouting which stoked his love of outdoor adventure, caravanning to Philmont along with his troop during his teens. Jim also connected with physical activity, notably participating in track and football at the high school level.

Jim married Barbara Sullivan from Wilkes-Barre, PA. They met playing tennis near the hospital where Barbara had a nursing internship. Jim graduated college and became employed with Big Blue IBM in Poughkeepsie, NY starting a family with Barbara in Millbrook then Wappingers Falls, NY. Children Geoffrey, Sean, and Catherine arrived during this period. After Jim relocated to IBM Essex Junction, Jim and Barbara settled in a house on Bilodeau Court in Burlington, VT. This move fulfilled the couple's dream of living in New England and saw the birth of their last child, Jim. A lengthy run at IBM and a unique neighborhood were followed by a PhD in physics from the University of Vermont. He balanced keeping up with his growing family and traveling back to PA on the holidays to visit both sets of grandparents.

A move to Harvard, MA in 1975 began a new chapter. Jim briefly worked at Honeywell Corp. and later enthusiastically accepted a job offer from MIT Lincoln Laboratory. This was an intense period which included supporting growing children and stewarding them through their teenage years. Jim was an involved single parent and focused attention on his children’s education and interests such as running, hiking, art, cars, and even an occasional rock concert.

The running boom of the 1970s and his children's involvement in a weekly fun run club called the Apple Runners leveraged Jim into joining the good times! It was here Jim met the new chapter in his life, Cindy (then) McElwain who was also the founder of the group. They eventually partnered, married, and settled in West Concord, MA, welcoming family, friends, and many grandchildren. Jim and Cindy were busy travelers and hikers earning membership into the 4,000 ft northeast peak club, going on long bike trips, planning and completing sojourns out west and abroad in high adventure style. Through their years together, their travels took them to high peaks in Colorado, California, Washington, Mexico, Ecuador, Switzerland, as well as on bicycle adventures through New England, Canada, and Europe. Cindy and Jim proved to be the best of life and travel companions.

Throughout the remainder of his career at MIT, Jim worked on pioneering research on silicon chip process and device design. Jim published dozens of papers in technical journals by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), and served in several leadership roles around the annual IEEE international Silicon on Insulator Conference.

Following Jim's retirement from MIT Lincoln Labs, Jim sought out ways to give back, including joining a program to teach 8th graders science principles at the Lawrence Schools, a 6 month teacher residency at the Saint Bonaventure Indian Mission and School in Thoreau, New Mexico, participation in a prisoner education program at Mass Correctional Concord, the St. Vincent DePaul Society, and other community based aid initiatives.

Wherever Jim was he carried with him the falls and streams of Grassy Hollow backed into the hills of Jamison City, PA, the epicenter around which his love of the outdoors and nature began. His life branched in many directions but he always knew his true beginnings; the coal hills, ash hills and onion-domed churches nestled in the valleys of PA.

On July 21, 2026, Jim backed his locomotive into the round house and dumped the ash pan. He fell asleep and set sail to the coal regions of his childhood dreams. He was a loved man and a joy to love and care for. He is survived by his loving family, his wife Cindy(now) McLean-Greeley, his children, Geoffrey Burns and his wife Carina Burns of Palo Alto, CA, Sean Burns and his wife Lori Phaneuf-Burns of Chesterfield, MA, Catherine Burns and her husband Ernie Buford of Richmond, VT, and Jim Burns and his wife Chris Burns of Harvard, MA, his step-children, Hollis McElwain of West Concord, MA, and Helen McElwain of Los Angeles, CA, and his many grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, September 10, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Parish, 68 Center Street, Danville, PA. A graveside service will follow at Odd Fellows Cemetery. The family warmly invites all who knew and loved Jim to join them in remembering and celebrating his life, and to gather with them for a reception at St. Joseph’s following the services.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial contributions in Jim’s name to organizations that reflect some of the things he cared deeply about throughout his life:

St. Bonaventure Indian Mission School, which supports the education and well-being of Native American children and families.

St. Vincent de Paul Society, which provides assistance to those in need.

Appalachian Mountain Club, in keeping with Jim’s lifelong love of the outdoors, mountains, woods, and the natural world.

The family would be grateful for any remembrance of Jim through a gift to one of these organizations, or simply through sharing a memory, a story, or a moment of kindness that keeps his spirit alive.