Lemuel "Jim" Wilson Burns

Lemuel Wilson Burns aka. L.W. or Jim Born in a farmhouse near Stidham, Oklahoma.

His mother’s name was Vera May Brackett. It is said that his grandfather was a half breed Cherokee Indian, named Jacob Wilson Burns.

He was an only child. He rode his first horse when he was 3 years old. His mother placed him on the back of the old wagon horse while his dad led him around.

He went to school in Stidham and was very quick to learn his numbers and to add and subtract. He talked about his teacher Mrs. McIntosh who helped him a lot in school. He was usually alone. so he would spend time going fishing while growing up. When he was 5 years old, the family would go to town every Saturday to sell their cream and eggs. His dad would hitch the horse to the wagon. It was dads job to stick a board in the spokes of the back wheels when the horse could not make it up the hill. This would keep the wagon from rolling backwards and give the horse a rest. He lived in a cabin with a dirt floor. He would dig holes with a spoon and get in trouble for that. The cabin was picked up by a tornado and moved up against a tree. They had to move.

His mother and father were no longer together but he didn’t know why. That was the last time he saw his father. She remarried 4 times. He had some new brothers. One named Eddy Davis who he spoke about. They rode bikes together and went fishing. He talked about being poor and picked cotton and fruit. They moved to California. His mother divorced and remarried. He had 4 more brothers by this marriage, Charles, Vernen, Wayne and Victor. They moved again and he worked in construction and later drove a Taxi in California. He married his first wife in California, they had a son and a daughter, they later divorced. And she took the kids and were never heard from for several years.

Jim moved to Idaho and met Annie Owings. In 1958 Jim and Annie were Married. They were married for 65 years. They had 2 children. James and Beverley.

Jim worked at various jobs, a lot of them with Annie by his side. They were custodians at Burley High School. Jim worked at the South Idaho Press, running the printing press, while Annie delivered the newspapers. He was the grounds keeper for the Minidoka County fairgrounds. They also raised and trained racehorses most of their time together. They raced all over the Northwestern states where he made many friends. He worked for several years at the Minidoka Irrigation Dist. He retired in 2012.

He's proceeded in death by his mother Vera May Brackett, grandson Nathan Jensen and wife Annie Burns.

He’s survived by his son James (Sally) Burns, stepson Michael his daughter Beverly (Gary) Holy, his grandson Travis (Gina) Jensen, and great granddaughters Janessa and Adalynn, his grandson Jacob Holy, and great grandson Dakota Ziegler and wife Alexandrea.

Graveside services for family and friends will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, December 19, 2025, at the Rupert Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Hansen Mortuary.