Bobby Joe "Bob" Burns was born September 26, 1936 and passed from this life July 16, 2022. He was 85 years old. He was preceded in death by brothers James (Ella Mae), Henry (Leita Mae), Mick (Anna Mae), and H.E; sisters Lil (Wayne) Cargille, Evelyn (Roy) Sullivan, Joyce Burns, and Rachel (Raymond) Ash. He is survived by one sister, Mary Mayo (Eugene) Rose.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ardith; children Bobbi Faye Mabry, Susan Elaine Edwards (Tom), Christina Joyce Caldwell (Bob), and James Arthur William Burns; grandchildren Christy Barnes, Michael Hoover (Trisha), Melissa Eggers (Wayne), Chris Caldwell, Stephen Caldwell, David Caldwell, Katie Caldwell, Becky Stanfill (Freddie), Tabitha Burns (Jen), and Bianca Burns (Carlos Mina). He is also survived by many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Bob was born and raised in Washburn, MO. He was in the first graduating class of Southwest High School. As a child he loved to ride horses and run track. For a time, he held the state record for the 100-yard dash.

After graduation, he lived for a while with his sister Mayo and her husband Gene in Washington state. It was here that he rededicated his life to Christ. He moved to Costa Mesa, CA to attend Southern California Bible College for one semester where he was on the basketball team. He met his future wife Ardith at college. They married quickly and dropped out of school to work and raise a family.

He worked mostly in construction around southern California. He also became a minister with the Assemblies of God and worked bi-vocationally in several churches. In 1978, he accepted the call to become pastor of the Assembly of God in Seligman, MO, where he stayed for 16 years. He built his home on the property where he was born and raised in 1984 and where he has lived since.

Bob loved music. He was a fine singer who, along with singing solo in church, spent time in gospel quartets

Bob loved to tell stories and jokes. He would regale anyone listening with them for hours. He loved to make people laugh.

He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and pastor to so many people, and will be missed by them all.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at the First Assembly of God Church in Cassville, with words of comfort spoken by Darlene Robison and Bob Caldwell.

A private family burial will be held at a later date.

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of the White Funeral Home and Crematory, Cassville, Missouri.