Donald Thomas Burns

Donald Thomas Burns, MD passed away at his home in Wyomissing on the morning of Sunday, October 29, 2023 at the age of 91 with his wife Carol by his side. Donald was born on January 24, 1932 in Buffalo, NY, the second son of Albert E. Burns and Hildegarde M. (Holtgreve) Burns.

He spent his childhood living in Washington, DC and Bethesda, MD, and then his teen years in West Englewood, NJ, graduating from Teaneck High School in 1949. Donald attended Trinity College in Hartford, CT, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree as a pre-medical major in 1953. After college Donald attended the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in Philadelphia, PA, where he met his future wife Carol Stein, a nursing student at Penn, and graduated with a degree in medicine in 1957. While at Penn he pursued a residency in ophthalmology and was mentored by the pioneering eye surgeon Harold Scheie, founder of the school's Scheie Eye Institute.

Donald and Carol married on June 23, 1956 in Philadelphia, and from 1958-1960 he served honorably as a Captain in the US Army Medical Corps. Following his military service Donald and Carol lived in Philadelphia where their first child, Susan, was born in 1963. The family then moved to Wyomissing, PA where Donald would establish a medical practice in ophthalmology and where sons Scott and Christopher were born in 1967 and 1969, respectively. Donald was on the staff of the Reading Hospital for over 30 years, serving as Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology before retiring from his career in medicine in 1997.

Donald and Carol enjoyed traveling, and over the years they visited England, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru among other places, particularly fond of taking trips to London and Paris as well as family vacations to Bermuda and the Caribbean. They also very much enjoyed spending long weekends in Manhattan together, visiting museums and seeing plays on Broadway. Donald was happiest when surrounded by his family, and during retirement he especially enjoyed visits with his grandchildren.

In addition to his wife Carol, Donald is survived by his daughter Susan, wife of Sherman Chamberlain (Palm Beach, FL), son Donald Scott, husband of Maribeth (Anzalone) Burns (Evans, GA), and son Christopher, husband of Lynne (Lubbeke) Burns (West Reading, PA). He is also survived by grandchildren Henry, Elizabeth, and Thomas Burns and step-grandchildren Drew, Noah, and Mark Chamberlain.

Donald was predeceased by his brother Albert E. Burns, Jr. in 2007.

Donald had been in poor health the past few years, but he was made comfortable at home thanks to the devoted care he received from his wife Carol as well as visiting caregivers. Funeral services will be private at the convenience of his family. In lieu of sending flowers, please consider making a donation to the Scheie Eye Teaching & Research Fund at Penn Medicine.

Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc. is honored to serve the Burns family.