Bio, 2014: Raymond Burrus
Where to start? Let’s work backwards: Now retired two years and happy to be – haven’t missed going to work, ever. Spending time with grandkids in Dallas and Bellingham, WA, equally – summers in B’ham, winters in Dallas. Two daughters, 37 & 36, both happily married and producing beautiful children (biased Granddad view), three girls in Dallas and two boys in B’ham. Recently fell through the ceiling of the garage, nine feet to the concrete floor, head-first. Miraculously, only minor injuries – broken ribs, strained shoulder; no major bones broken – my time’s not up yet! Diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer in April of 2012, VA says there’s a link between exposure to Agent Orange and that disease so now considered disabled by the VA – no symptoms yet and no treatment either; oncologist says he can keep me alive until something else gets me…Long career in international industrial sales and management, last 25 years in Minnesota and Texas; before that in Indonesia and Hong Kong for 12 years. Married to Susan Scheffel Burrus (John Marshal, OKC, ’63 grad) for 41 years; we met at OSU in 1964 but didn’t marry for 9 more years (both busy traveling the World). Spent 4 years on active duty as an officer in the Army Transportation Corps, all outside the U.S. Envying the free life of the vagabonds I met overseas, I joined them for a year and half traveling all over Europe and Africa. After that, realized that American businessmen don’t hire vagabonds I went back to grad school to become legitimate again, attending Thunderbird in Phoenix where Caterpillar hired me in 1975.
Sports: Managed to wangle a track scholarship at OSU and found that when you do something for money it’s not so much fun anymore. Last two years at OSU on Army scholarship which led to the 4 years active duty. Later, in my 40s I had a successful career in masters track & field which really only means that if you choose a race obscure enough and wait long enough you’re bound to win some. Did some long-distance running in my 30s and learned that sprinters just shouldn’t do that. Now, still run a little but mostly just play golf with friends and sons-in-law and take it easy.
Spiritual Stuff: You may recall that I was a professing Christian in high school but that didn’t survive my college experience; spent the next 20 years as a hedonist, chasing down all kinds of rat holes. Then, in 1986 I came back into Christianity, saving my marriage and profess it today
That’s it and I realize that this summary probably raises more questions than answers – let’s get together and talk at the reunion. Looking forward to it!
Ray
Bio, 2009: Raymond Burrus
After graduating from SHS, I attended OSU and then as a result of an Army scholarship I was obligated for a four-year commitment in the Army - three in Germany and then one in Vietnam.
After that I decided to travel a little so I spent a year and a half in Europe and Africa. Coming back I needed some way to get back in the job market so I went to a small grad school in Phoenix and got a masters in international business. But just before I started school there, I married Susan Scheffel who went to John Marshall in OKC and then OSU. Susan and I met at OSU so we’ve known each other for 42 yrs. It took us 7 yrs to get our act together, live in the same city, and get married.
After grad school, I pursued a career in international business. Most of our time overseas was spent in Hong Kong where we lived for 10 years and had two children. We lived a total of 17 yrs outside the U.S. most of which in Asia, and since ’87 we’ve been back in the States. We were four years in Minnesota and then nine in Texas.
We lived in Tulsa from 2000-07 and when Susan retired from Tulsa Public Schools, we decided to do something really silly – we bought a condo in Dallas about a mile from one daughter and a vacation home in Bellingham, WA, about 5 miles from the other. We winter in Dallas and summer in Bellingham. Our daughter, Elizabeth married to Russ Isaly, has one son; our daughter, Katherine married to Ryan Dodd, has a daughter. Spending time with our kids and grandkids is now a big commitment for us.
For now, I am part owner in an employee-owned company in Plattsburgh, NY, that allows me to cover the western half of the U.S. so I travel around the west, visiting my friends, playing golf and catching up with my family (and oh yeah, working... ). I have no intention of retiring - I'm having too much fun! I look forward to seeing friends at the October reunion.
Raymond with wife Susan and granddaughter Andi
©2009 Stillwater High School Class of 1964