Harvey Richard Burman
Harvey Richard Burman died on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at his home of 60 years in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. “Ranger Harv” was 87 years old.
Harv was born May 11, 1938, in Morrison, Illinois, to Anthony and Addie Burman, the youngest of 5 brothers. The family soon moved to Kenosha where along with his brothers Irv and Ed, Harv developed an interest in sports cars and rallying, becoming a member of a local rally club. His first car, a black 1951 Morris Minor, held a special place in his heart among the 34 other cars he eventually owned during his lifetime. The last car he bought, a green 1949 MG-TC convertible in 2021, was “the cherry on top”, the car he really wanted as a boy, his first love. Harv also met his second, more important love, Susan Travis, in the car club. They participated in several rallies together as a team, and Harv couldn’t believe she agreed to marry him, “a boy who had nothing”, out of all the other boys she could have chosen. Susan and Harv were married December 14, 1957; they were both 19 years old.
A year later, their first daughter, Becki, was born. Then followed another daughter, Wendy, a son, Christopher, and another son, Andrew. Their 5th child, Joshua, was born in 1972. By that time Harv had been hired by A.C. Nielsen Company and the family moved to Fond du Lac, joining the congregation of St. Paul’s Episcopal church, which they attended for 60 years. Harv juggled work, a large family, and college classes. In 1973 he was awarded a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from UW-Oshkosh. Amazingly, Harv still had time for his family. He taught his children a love for the outdoors, and camping, hiking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, and bicycling became favorite family activities. Harv had developed a passion for bicycles with his brothers when younger and now commuted daily to the office, year-round, complete with a large white bike helmet, a rarity in the 70’s and 80’s, much to the embarrassment of his adolescent children! Everyone in town knew that odd man on the bicycle with the bubble head! Bikes were a third life-long love. His children all rode bikes instead of getting chauffeured in cars, and Harv repeatedly led them on multiple day bike tours around the region. He and Susan rode a tandem together in later years, and finally, when it became more difficult for him to walk long-distance, he bought an electric-assist bike. It rejuvenated his riding, and he became a passionate advocate of e-bikes, riding daily, leading others on community rides, and volunteering at Harbor Haven, a rehabilitation facility to pilot residents on rides around town in an electric Tri-shaw bike. At 87, he could sometimes be seen pulling a dog trailer behind his yellow Trek e-bike, taking his dog Jody to the park for a run, Jody yelping with excitement the whole way!
Yet only Susan was more important than the fourth love of his life, being an interpretive ranger at Florissant Fossil Beds National Park in Colorado. In 1994, after Harv lost his job due to downsizing at A.C. Nielsen Co, his daughter Wendy recommended him for a ranger position to the park staff, a position she had previously held. On Wendy’s recommendation, he was hired, and Ranger Harv was born! Harv worked (“if you can call it that”) every summer at Florissant for 12 seasons and loved every second of every minute of every hour he was there. He hosted school groups and led interpretive walks and hiked Pikes Peak in his spare time to “get his red card” to become a certified Wildland Fire Fighter when he was 56 years old! He was deployed to several local Colorado and larger regional fires over the years and was proud to be chosen to work with a helicopter crew as ground support. Harv’s work at Florissant brought immense joy and purpose to his retirement years and he kept his “RangerHarv” email designation for the rest of his life. He felt that was who he truly was.
Harv and Susan never stopped adventuring. They were always taking bike trips, canoe and kayak trips, back-packing trips, and camping trips, sharing much of the time with their children and grand-children. Active in the church as well, they were counselors and peer leaders in Marriage Encounter and Retrovaille, 2 non-denominational support programs for married couples. They also led several volunteer development group trips to Belize and Honduras for the Episcopal Relief and Development program to build schools and community shelters. Susan died on January 10, 2021, from cancer, and Harv lost the greatest love of his life.
Harv is survived by daughters Becki (Mike, Laramie WY), and Wendy (Ray, Wenatchee, WA), sons Andre (Beth, North Bend, WA), and Josh (Tammy, Mankato, MN), and grand-children Amelia (Lek, Alhambra, CA), Kai (Niceville, FL), Schuyler (Wellington, CO), Isabel (Seattle, WA), Salvador (Seattle, WA), Claire (Mankato, MN), and Braxton (Mankato, MN), brother Ed (Lynda, Kenosha, WI), and faithful canine friend, Jody. Son Christopher died in 1978. Three of his brothers have previously passed, Irv (2014), Ken (2021), and Merle (2025).
Ranger Harv Burman’s years at Florissant Fossil Beds National Park were extremely fulfilling for him and perhaps best illustrate his numerous skills, passions, and interests: teacher, mentor, environmental advocate, wildland fire fighter, friend, hiker, biker, hot springs enthusiast, humorist, husband, father, grandfather, and interpretive ranger. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A Memorial to his life will be held July 8, 2026, near the Fossil Beds in Colorado. Donations in his honor can be made to: Friends of Florissant Fossil Beds (www.fossilbeds.org) PO Box 851, Florissant, CO 80816. Visit www.zacherlfuneralhome.com to send condolences.