Lasting Memories

Robert John Burt
July 25, 1942-Sept. 19, 2025
Menlo Park, California

Robert John Burt, known to family and friends as John, passed away peacefully at home in Menlo Park on September 19, 2025. He was 83.

Born in Bremerton, Washington, in 1942 and raised in Seattle and Vancouver, John was the son of Robert Burt, an electrician for the Bonneville Power Administration, and Claudine Edmisten. Along with his sister Ann, he cherished many childhood memories at his grandparents’ small farm in Gold Bar, Washington. There he watched his grandfather tend goats, keep bees, chop wood and plant an abundant garden each year—habits that left a lasting impression. His grandmother baked a pie every morning, and the family shared meals from the food they grew. These experiences inspired John’s lifelong dream of cultivating his own garden filled with fruit trees and homegrown food. Music was also a constant in those years: he loved listening to his grandfather play the fiddle while his grandmother sang. Later, his mother arranged violin lessons with the concertmaster of the Portland Symphony, sparking a deep and enduring love of all types of music.

At Fort Vancouver High School, John was the student body president, a standout on the basketball and tennis teams, and known for his modesty. His talents earned him a scholarship to Stanford University, where he majored in physical science and later earned a master’s degree in geology. Though he began on the basketball team and even played in the Stanford Symphony, he found his true athletic home on the tennis court, ultimately receiving Stanford’s sole tennis scholarship for four years. Teaching tennis and working as a geology teaching assistant helped support him through graduate school.

It was at Stanford, in a geology lab section he taught, that John met Rebecca “Becky” Kendall. The two married in 1968 and began a partnership that lasted 57 years, raising three children—Becksie, Jeff, and Emily.

John began his career with the Canadian firm Duvall Corporation before joining the U.S. Geological Survey, a highly respected path for those in his field, and one he was proud to pursue. He went on to spend 30 years there as a hydrologist in the Water Resources Division. His work took him across the world—from studying water resource projects in Hawaii, to a month in India with the World Bank helping communities develop shallow bamboo wells, to the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska, where he contributed to efforts to balance resource development with wildlife protection. The work in India was especially meaningful to him, as he saw how the community immediately put to use the new technology that was introduced to them. From 1978 onward, John worked at the USGS office in Menlo Park, retiring after three decades of public service.

While dedicated to his career, John was most passionate about family and community. He and Becky raised their family in Menlo Park, where John became known for his lush, artistic garden full of fruit trees, flowers, and many other plants. Neighbors and friends delighted in his garden-grown apricot and olallieberry jams, applesauce, and the warm hospitality he shared through food. A gifted baker, John ground his own wheat for bread, perfected oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and nurtured sourdough starters gathered from around the world— decades before artisan bread became fashionable!

John also gave generously of his time, and loved to teach others – having even contemplated a career as a school teacher or junior college professor. He coached youth soccer, basketball, and tennis, taught table tennis, cooking and bread-making classes through the local Lyceum program, and introduced countless young people to sports and skills with his patient, caring style. Family weekends were often spent camping, hiking, or engaged in some type of sports. Longer adventures included road trips to Death Valley, Palm Springs, the Grand Canyon, Pinnacles, Montana, and Wyoming, all while piled into the family’s faux-wood paneled station wagon.

John had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh at life’s absurdities—often sharing long, contagious laughs with Becky. He carried an enduring optimism, always believing that everything would be okay, a perspective that shaped the way he lived and encouraged those around him.

Later in life, John found deep joy in summers on the Metolius River in Oregon, where he and Becky created a summer retreat for their children and six grandchildren. He was endlessly present in his grandchildren’s lives—whether teaching music, attending games, plays, or simply cooking together at home.

John will be remembered for his modesty, kindness, humor, and ability to connect with anyone. Despite a lifetime of accomplishments, he was never one to boast—preferring instead to listen, teach, and share. He was resourceful, gentle, and generous with both his knowledge and his time.

John is survived by his wife Becky, children Becksie (David), Jeff (Cass), and Emily (Kara), six grandchildren—Molly, Jack, Caitlin, Wyatt, Cole, and Everett—and his sister Ann. His memory will live on in the gardens he tended, the bread he baked, the laughter he shared, and the family and community he so lovingly nurtured.