Anne Webb Burnham, 87, of Rehoboth, MA, and Fishers Island, NY, died on June 4th at the Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center in Providence, the evening before her husband of 62 years, David Campbell Burnham, also died. They were the parents of three sons, Paul H. Burnham (Karen Birck) of Wilton, CT, John S. Burnham (Rachel Balaban) of Middletown, RI, and Stephen T. Burnham (Krysia) of Newton, MA, and a daughter, Louise Burnham Packard of Lexington, MA, as well as ten grandchildren: Elizabeth, David, Isabel, Olivia, Sophia, John, Margaux, Samuel, Daniel and Anne.
Mrs. Burnham was born in Morristown, NJ, as a daughter of the late Bayard B. and Anita (Hunter) Webb; she was predeceased by her five siblings, including a twin sister Ruth (Micky) Martling. After living in Providence for 16 years, the Burnhams moved to Rehoboth. The Burnhams were long-time summer residents of Fishers Island, NY.
Mrs. Burnham was a math teacher at the Lincoln School in Providence until her retirement in 1994. She had previously taught at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, CT, where she was chair of the Math Department, and at Northfield School for Girls (later Northfield Mount Hermon School) in Northfield, MA. She was a graduate of both Northfield and Oberlin College, where she majored in Physics.
As an active member of the Community Church of Providence, Mrs. Burnham was both Moderator and Treasurer, and was a cherished member of the choir for more than 35 years. She was also a member of the Fishers Island Union Chapel. She was the longstanding secretary to the American Friends of the Collège Cévenol, the Fishers Island Yacht Club, and the Island People’s Project, as well as the Providence Branch of the English-Speaking Union. Most recently, her teaching gifts were shared with the Handicraft Club, where she taught knitting.
Mrs. Burnham devoted each and every moment of her time on earth to her family, her friends, her students, her church, and to all those in need with whom she came in contact during her long and rich life.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate the Burnhams at 11am on June 21st, at the Central Congregational Church of Providence. Burial will be private. Donations in the Burnhams’ memory may be made to the Anne & David Burnham Scholarship Fund at Northfield Mount Hermon School, 1 Lamplighter Way, Mount Hermon, MA 01354; to the David Burnham Maritime Fund, Paul Cuffee School, 459 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908; or to the Community Church of Providence, 372 Wayland Ave, Providence, RI 02906. Condolences may be left online at monahandrabblesherman.com or c/o the Community Church of Providence.
