Died October 9, 2024
LELAND - Keith Webster Burnham of Leland MI, aged 91, passed away peacefully in his sleep at Autumn House Assisted Living in Williamsburg MI, surrounded by family.
Keith was born on March 17, 1933, in North Riverside, IL, to Howard and Garnet Burnham (nee Cutler).
If you knew Keith, you knew from the stories he shared that he lived a full life based on “overcoming all odds”. A gifted artist, he began his engineering career at Lockheed with no prior design experience, having been picked out of a field of applicants for his high aptitude score. His first project was strengthening the front landing gear of the P33/T33 Shooting Star fighter plane to enable the plane to land on an aircraft carrier. He continued on to a 32-year career at International Harvester and J.I. Case as an Industrial Designer. He was the first employee to walk into the new IH Farm Equipment Research and Engineering Center (Hinsdale, IL) after it opened in 1958.
His numerous professional accomplishments include designing the first Cub Cadet garden tractor in 1960, sketching concept designs and building 3D scale models of many proposed tractors and combines, including some of the first enclosed operator cabs for tractors. Keith retired from International Harvester in 1988 to start Burnham Graphic Arts.
Keith married the love of his life, Joanne Gits, on January 28th, 1961. They lived and raised four children in Riverside, IL, but spent every summer in Leland, Michigan with the Gits family. He was Commodore of the Leland Yacht Club, sharing that distinction with two brothersin- law and a niece. Although he still worked in Hinsdale, he would travel often up to Leland to be with his family in the place he grew to love. Keith and Joanne moved permanently to Leland in 1996. Keith immortalized the places he lived in in Pen and Ink drawings and cartoons of Riverside and Leland, specifically Fishtown. He was an avid woodworker, creating many intricate carved reliefs and turned candlesticks.
He developed a love of photography after borrowing a Brownie camera from Joanne. His framed photographs can be seen in homes and businesses all over Leelanau County. In May of 2001, Keith and his son Jim started LelandReport.com, a daily photo blog of life in Leelanau County. In 2017, he published his first book of photos from the blog. He continued to post a photo every day for over 20 years until he couldn’t physically make the treks outside. He and his faithful dog, Biscuit, were Fishtown favorites and became unofficial ambassadors for the Fishtown Preservation Society. If you visit Fishtown, you might see a silhouette of Biscuit near the welcome center.
Keith was a storyteller with a subtle sense of humor. His family fondly remembers weekend trips to the Brookfield Zoo, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum. Other memories include going every Saturday morning to the Riverside Bakery, trips to Ernie’s Grocery Store, to Baskin Robbins for ice cream, and to Swan Pond for sledding in the winter and biking in the summer. He would take his young children to visit his grandparents often. Keith survived childhood polio with the help of Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in Chicago. In his golden years, he beat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was, and continues to be, an inspiration to his children.
A simple obituary cannot fully encapsulate Keith’s life, but it serves as a tribute to a man who was greatly loved and will be sorely missed. Keith’s life story is a vivid picture of dedication and creativity, leaving others inspired by his personal kindness. Keith is survived by his wife, Joanne, and four children, Julie Burnham (Lee), Mary Burnham Curtis (Gary), John Burnham (Carolyn), and Jim Burnham (Deb). Keith had seven grandchildren: TJ, Matt, Christopher, Lauren, Daniel, Shae, and Meredith.
He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. He will forever be remembered for his strong, unassuming nature and his profound impact on the lives he touched.
The mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 19th at St. Wenceslaus Church of Gills Pier with the family greeting friends at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Wenceslaus Cemetery. Father Michael Class will serve as celebrant.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to any of the following: Shriner’s Children’s Hospital at donate. lovetotherescue.org ; Fishtown Preservation Society at www. fishtownmi.org/donate/ The Leland Old Art Building c/o the Capital Campaign at www.oldartbuilding. com/donate/ St. Wenceslaus Church, 8500 E, Kolarik Road Suttons Bay, MI 49682 Please share condolences with the family at www.martinson.info Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Leelanau.
