Suzanne Burns

Suzanne Burns, 70, of Durango, Colorado, passed away December 8, 2016, surrounded by her family. She was born September 19, 1946.

Suzanne and her family grew up on a fruit farm near Traverse City, Michigan and she and her siblings loved farm life and the responsibility it taught each of them. She graduated from Traverse City High School, completed 2 years of technical college and obtained a degree at the Electronic Computer Programming Institute. Suzanne’s first employment adventure was as a computer programmer, back when computers took up a whole room. She moved to Colorado in 1974. In 1982, she and her son , Mike Burns moved to Missouri where she occupied herself with dog training, and breeding and showing her dogs in competition. After moving there, she joined a large well-known Garden Center where her job was landscaping projects and training of personnel. She continued in landscaping after she moved back to Colorado in 1991. In 1994, she was one of five people working together to build a humane society in Ouray County and became their first and only Animal Control Office for 2-3 years. In 2005, she moved to Durango along with her immediate family.

For many years, her interest was in breeding Australian Shepherds and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and training dogs which she was very good at. But her biggest interest was her son, Mike and grandchildren, Emma and Dillon which were the largest part of her life.

She is survived by her son: Mike Burns; Siblings: Robert (Lynda) Burns, and Sharon Wilcox; Grandchildren: Emma and Dillon Burns; a niece: Stacey Widener, and nephew: Ryan Wilcox.

She is preceded in death by her parents and a brother: Michael.

Private services will be held.