STANDISH – Burns Elliott Cameron, 84 of Standish, slipped out of his brief coma into death just before midnight on June 12, 2023, at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough. One of his favorite nurses, Julie, was with him as he took his last breath. Burns had happily spent the past year in the long-term care unit where his was attended by charming CNAs, excellent nurses, and therapists. He loved being with other veterans, the food (really!) and relished frequent visits from his wife, Cheryl, and other relatives. His son, Andrew, was with him on his last day of life.

Burns loved the U.S. Navy which he joined soon after graduating from Mountain Lakes High School in New Jersey in 1956. Including active time and the Navy Reserve, he served our country for nearly 30 years, retiring with the rank of Master Chief Sonar Technician, Submarines, in 1985. Before his parents moved to Mountain Lakes in 1955, Burns attended his beloved Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach, New Jersey. Burns spent his childhood in South Orange, New Jersey where he was adopted at four days old by Marion Depew and Gordon Cameron. They later added another boy, John (Jock). Both boys spent memorable summers at Camp Aldercliff in Weymouth, N.S.

Burns was married to the late Nina Chalif from 1960 to 1974. They had one daughter, Catherine in 1962, who is currently living in a supervised group home for severely autistic adults. During this time Burns received his B.A, from Fairleigh Dickinson by attending night school. Burns was married to Claire Walter from 1974 until 1982. Their son, Andrew Cameron-Walter, born in 1982, spent a good deal of his childhood in Standish, Maine and at new Hampton School in New Hampshire. Otherwise, he lived with his mom and stepdad in Boulder, CO. Burns was married to Cheryl Zeller from 1985 until his death. After moving to Maine in 1989, Burns worked as a real estate agent and in customer service at LL Bean.

If you “Google” Burns Cameron, you will discover that he had an outstanding run on the original Jeopardy!, with Art Fleming in 1965 winning a record $7,070 in five games (the maximum allowed back then). In 1966 he won the Tournament of Champions to become Grand Champion. In 1990, Burns was invited to compete in the Super Jeopardy! summer tournament as the only player to represent the Art Fleming era. Burns did a respectable job of coming in second and losing by only one dollar.

In his late 70’s, Burns discovered his birth family via 23 and Me. His teenaged mother gave him up for adoption. She later went on to have five daughters. Burns and Cheryl became close to three of them, Carole Hall, Donna Drummond, and Debbie Goodreds visiting each other in Maine, New Jersey, and Florida. This lucky find was a great joy to Burns in his last years.

A memorial service will be held at the Standish Congregational Church, U.C.C., 25 Oakhill Road, Standish, Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 2 p.m. A reception will follow the service. If you cannot appear in person, contact Cheryl for a Zoom link.

To share memories of Burns or to leave the family an online condolence, please visit http://www.athutchins.com.

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