Janie Elinor Burns

Janie Elinor (Kottinger) Burns passed away peacefully on October 29, 2023 in Oak Grove, Oregon. Janie is survived by Bob, her devoted husband of 63 years, their three children, Rob Burns Jr., Tia Collins (Bob), Maggie Traverso (Joe), granddaughter Ellie Traverso, and a large extended family. Janie and Bob were longtime residents of Oregon City, Oregon, having lived in their home on Cherry Avenue for 45 years. In 2019 they moved to Willamette View senior living community in Oak Grove, where Janie was cared for until her passing. Janie was born on November 15, 1937, in Palo Alto, California to Elinor (Stocking) Kottinger and William B. Kottinger Jr. She was the younger of their two children, joining brother Bill III who was five years her senior. Janie’s mother (known as Ellie) was a schoolteacher and music teacher from Santa Cruz, CA, where Janie’s grandmother, Janie M. Stocking, was a teacher, principal and later the county school superintendent. Janie’s father (Bill) was from a family with deep roots in the town of Pleasanton, CA, and was a graduate of Stanford University. The family moved to Reno, Nevada when Janie was four, where her father started a CPA firm, Semenza & Kottinger. Janie attended Mt. Rose Elementary School and later Reno High School, where she was a cheerleader. She went on to the University of Nevada Reno where she majored in Elementary Education and was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. It was at UNR that Janie met Bob Burns, son of Jack and Frances Burns of Yerington, Nevada. Of Bob, Janie would recall that it was his kindness that won her heart. They were married in Reno on August 14, 1960. Janie and Bob lived in Carson City, Nevada for the first ten years of their marriage, where Janie taught first and second grade and Bob was a high school PE teacher, track and football coach. In Carson City they welcomed their first two children, Rob Jr. and Tia. The family moved several times as Bob pursued graduate studies and a career in education administration: first to Flagstaff, Arizona, next to Eugene, Oregon where he completed his PhD at the University of Oregon, and then to Dallas, Texas. Finally, the family put down roots in Oregon City, Oregon in 1974. Daughter Maggie arrived in 1979. Janie was a devoted mother and passionately supported her kids’ many sports, music and educational pursuits. Forever a teacher, she was committed to making sure her kids were well-rounded citizens of this world. Janie was equal parts sports fanatic and ardent patron of the arts and culture. Janie and Bob were devoted Oregon Ducks fans and spent many years following Ducks football, basketball and track with friends Ozzie and Coralie Rose. Janie also loved attending the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Opera and Broadway musicals that came to town. She enjoyed music of all kinds, from old standards to the Beatles, 70s and 80s pop, 90s country, and Irish River Dance. In retirement, she and Bob traveled to Spain, Ireland and took a cruise through the Panama Canal. Janie belonged to the same bridge group for nearly 40 years, she was a long-time volunteer with the Oregon City Public Library, and she organized epic neighborhood garage sales. She drove a minivan long after Maggie was out of the house, as she was the de facto driver for her many groups of lady friends. Janie was always game for adventure. She loved recounting the spontaneous outings she had in Carson City with her friend Maizie Jesse and their kids. As an older mother with Maggie, she embraced being amongst younger moms – she said they kept her young. Indeed, she learned to downhill ski in her 50s. And while she wouldn’t have called herself a leader, she led with her actions. She was a doer. When there was a need, she was there, rolling up her sleeves, making things happen. She said yes to life and lived it to the fullest. Janie’s family extends a special thanks to the caregivers at Willamette View, who cared for her lovingly until the end. A funeral mass and reception will be held Saturday, December 9, at 1:00 pm at Resurrection Catholic Parish, where Janie and Bob were parishioners for nearly 40 years. 21060 SW Stafford Road, Tualatin, Oregon, 97062. In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored by donations in Janie’s name to: The Blue Heron Foundation - Good Neighbor Fund Willamette View 12705 SE River Road Portland, OR 97222 https://willametteview.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/willametteview/donation.jsp - OR - The Oregon City Library Foundation PO Box 1791 Oregon City, OR 97045 https://www.oclibraryfoundation.org/donate