Kevin Burns
Family: Wife, Tracey; daughters, Mati Burns (19), Alison Burns (16) and Bree Walker (22); son-in-law, Buck Walker,; and grandson, Ty.
In Town: Kevin Burns is the guidance counselor at Stockton R-1 High School. He started working at Stockton in 2003. Kevin taught biology and environmental science for four years until he accepted the full-time guidance counselor position in 2007.
Kevin began his career in education in the fall of 1993, teaching science at Golden City, Mo. He spent five years at Golden City, where he taught science for two years and was the guidance counselor for three. Before moving to Stockton, Kevin was the high school guidance counselor at Greenfield High School for five years.
Throughout his teaching career, Kevin coached basketball and football at various levels. He spent the last five years as the head girls’ basketball coach at Stockton.
In the Country: Kevin and his family live on the farm where he grew up, just south of Stockton. He raises crossbred cow/calf pairs, bales hay and cuts fescue.
Growing up, Kevin and his younger brother played a big role in helping their dad on the farm.
“I can remember many long hours working the fields harvesting wheat, soybeans, fescue, and baling hay for ourselves and custom baling for others. If anyone knows my dad, Vernon, they know he does not spend much time away from working on the farm,” Kevin said.
Even though Kevin has a farm of his own, he still helps his father with whatever needs done around the farm.
After Kevin graduated college, he purchased 20 Santa Gertrudis cows.
“Some were near calving and some were cow/calf pairs,” he recalled. “Tracey and I borrowed the money and put all the profits back into the loan.”
Kevin has grown his herd to 50 cows and is expanding the operation the closer he gets to retirement. Over the years his herd has transitioned from purebred Santa Gertrudis to an Angus/Charolais cross.
All three of Kevin’s daughters are involved in the farm from raising bottle calves, checking cows to helping work cattle.
“The farm has always been a family operation as it has taken everyone to make sure the work gets done,” Kevin said.
