James C. Burns

James Burns, age 87, of LeSueur passed away on Sunday, September 17, 2017. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Anne's Catholic Church in LeSueur on Monday, September 25, 2017 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be Monday from 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the Kolden Funeral Home in LeSueur. Following the Mass, lunch will be served at St. Anne's School in LeSueur. Following the lunch, interment will be in the St. Thomas Church Cemetery at St. Thomas. Jim was born December 14, 1929, the third of eight children to Cyril and Mary (Hix) Burns in St. Thomas. Jim married Betty Seeker on November 27, 1948 at St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Minneapolis. Together they had four children. Jim and Betty raised their family in Wayzata. In 1974 they purchased and moved to a farm in Belle Plaine where Jim pursued his passion for horses. He worked as a machinist and foreman for Precise Products and later Jonaco Machines in Chaska. Betty passed away in 1992. Jim later married Leona Behrends; Leona died in 2007. His passion for Arabian horses continued throughout his life. He enjoyed breeding, training and competing in Arabian horse shows. Jim is survived by four children, Deborah (Robert) Mediger of LeSueur, James D. Burns of Savage, Thomas Burns of Minneapolis and Pauline (Curt) Holz of St. Peter, MN; eight grandchildren, Amy (Gary) Tobey, Regina Stender, Jamie (Wes) Olsen, Amos (Dana) Burns, Bridget (Scott Saari) Burns, Jerusha (John) Steinert, Philip (Carrie) Holz, Daniel (Whitney) Holz and eight great-grandchildren. Two sisters also survive, Monica Leech of Charlottesville, VA and Shannon McMahon of Grants Pass, OR and extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Betty Burns, brother Lloyd, William and Dempsey and sisters, Alice Ogle and Mary Catherine Burns.

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