James Arthur Burbank II

James Arthur Burbank II 1927 – 2020 BRUNSWICK – The family of James Arthur Burbank II wishes to acknowledge his death in Brunswick, Maine on April 2, 2020 at age 92. The first child of Ruth Foss Burbank and Paul Evans Burbank, he was born in the Old Brunswick Hospital on Cumberland Street on July 21, 1927 and was attended at his birth by Dr. C.W.P. Foss, his grandfather, who lived just down the street. Later in Jim’s life he returned to Maine and lived with his family in the Foss house for 52 years prior to his death. Until his second year in High School, Jim lived in Pittsfield, Mass. which was the hometown of the Burbank side of his family and by his grandfather he was taught how to fix things, a skill which served him well throughout his life. Paul Burbank’s work inventing Air Freight moved the family to Chicago and in 1945 Jim finished his secondary education at Oak Park High School, going on to Williams College where a year in the Army put him in the graduating Class of 1950. Jim’s working years brought much opportunity and reward. His first job was as an intern with Kaiser Aluminum in Spokane, Wash. This led him to Washington D.C. to develop and successfully patent a process for cold-extruded aluminum. In 1956 Kaiser decided to build its largest integrated mill on the Ohio River in Ravenswood, West Virginia and Jim joined that venture. Twelve years later he found his way back to his native state and went to work for the Bath Iron Works in Bath as an Industrial Engineer. Jim took great pride in two assignments given him when he worked at the Yard. First, while managing the Hardings Plant, he supervised the construction of the expansion joints spanning the floor of the Piscataqua River Bridge. Second, at the Shipyard, he was charged with overseeing the construction in 1973 of the, at the time, largest level-luffing crane in the Western Hemisphere. Though now grown up, his children dutifully count the “bumps” each time they cross the New Hampshire bridge, and, of course, when crossing the Bath bridge, everyone can see the big crane. Jim worked until he was 80. In his later years his talent as an Industrial Engineer found him with a firm doing consulting work at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and subsequently with the local Small Business Development Center of the SBA assisting small businesses to open and succeed. For his encouragement to small business endeavors he received national and state recognition. Jim was a small plane pilot. His Saturdays were not spent on the golf course, but rather jumping into the cockpit of a Piper Cub and flying about the countryside.Jim was an Eagle Scout and a beloved Scout Master to many young men. Who else would have taken a Troop spelunking? Jim was a champion swimmer and coached the Swim Team at Brunswick High School for a number of seasons. On Sunday nights in winter he played hockey at the Bowdoin arena. He loved trees and woods and wilderness camping, once finding himself forced by fear to share his warm sleeping bag with a chilly rattlesnake. Jim saved everything. Whatever it was it met the same criterion: “Never can tell when you might need it!” Fortunately he lived in a big house with a big barn and a big shed – all with attics. The family favorite is a glass jar labeled “Pieces of String too Small to Save”. In 1955 Jim married Marybeth Keser from Portland, Connecticut. They raised four children all of whom succeed him: Jonathan Burbank married to Lorraine, Julia Burbank Chin married to Matthew, Andrew Burbank married to Paula, and Abigail Burbank. He leaves two grandsons: Andrew Chin, and Brian Chin married to Kerrie Keller. He was predeceased by his sister, Elizabeth Burbank Heartfield. Jim was proud of his wife and his children and grandchildren and was always content to be at home. He was the self-appointed caretaker of the Town Parking Lot next door, raking, sweeping, and shoveling, at the same time cheerfully greeting its patrons, morning and evening. The family extends to CHANS Private Duty and Hospice its deepest appreciation and gratitude for the loving care given to Jim at his home and during his stay at the Mid Coast Senior Health Center. He was a kind and gentle man who always enjoyed a hug and a kiss. A gathering with friends and relatives to remember him will take place when we are all free to gather safely. Arrangements were by Stetson’s Funeral Home 12 Federal St. Brunswick, Maine 04011.