John Curtis Burn, born February 19, 1919, formerly of Tenafly, New Jersey, died peacefully on February 7, 2009 in Upper Saddle River, N.J.
He was the husband of Dr. Charlene Hargrove Burn, a former New York Summer Festival Queen, model and psychiatrist.
He was also the former husband of the late Jane Froman, a popular singer in the 1940’s and early 50’s. Jane was severely injured as the result of an aircraft crash on February 22, 1943. She was aboard a USO plane, a Boeing 314 named Yankee Clipper (tail number NC18603). Yankee Clipper was carrying Froman and 38 others and as she was banking into a descending turn for approach, her port wingtip caught a wave, whereupon she crashed into the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal. One of fifteen survivors, Froman sustained severe injuries: a cut below the left knee nearly severing her leg, multiple fractures of her right arm, and a compound fracture of her right leg that doctors threatened to amputate. Froman had given her seat to another passenger, Tamara Drasin, who was killed in the crash, an action which her biographer Ilene Stone said "bothered her her whole life."
The co-pilot, John Curtis Burn, who broke his back in the crash, fashioned a makeshift raft from portions of the wrecked plane to help keep himself and Froman afloat. After being rescued, they were sent to the same convalescent home, where they battled their long recoveries together.
Married to Jane Froman from 1948-1956 their marriage was highly publicized and documented in the recently released book “Say it with Music” by Barbara Seuling and also in the movie “With a Song in my Heart” starring Rory Calhoun as John and Susan Hayward as Jane.
After a childhood in Atlanta and Colorado, John attended the University of Chattanooga and lived with his mother’s relatives in Chattanooga.
He was selected for further training as a pilot for World War II. He was a pilot for Pan American Airlines for 36 years, retiring in 1979 as a Captain of the 747 Aircraft running international flights. During his years as an awesome pilot, he experienced a hijacking and two airplane crashes.
He later worked for the Flight Safety Committee. After retiring from Pan Am he received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from NYU and formed the first fear of flying clinic with an associate.
He is survived by four children, Sean of Brighton, Ma.; Gray and his wife Jessica of Chelsea, Ma.; Heather of Brighton, Ma., and Nora and her husband Bruce Yerk, Jr., and their children, Michael and Matthew of Long Pond, Pa., and cousins, Mary Curtis Black, Paul Black, Mark Curtis and Jamie Curtis of Chattanooga.
Funeral services were held last Tuesday in Saddle River, N.J.
Announced by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, 622-9995.
He was the husband of Dr. Charlene Hargrove Burn, a former New York Summer Festival Queen, model and psychiatrist.
He was also the former husband of the late Jane Froman, a popular singer in the 1940’s and early 50’s. Jane was severely injured as the result of an aircraft crash on February 22, 1943. She was aboard a USO plane, a Boeing 314 named Yankee Clipper (tail number NC18603). Yankee Clipper was carrying Froman and 38 others and as she was banking into a descending turn for approach, her port wingtip caught a wave, whereupon she crashed into the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal. One of fifteen survivors, Froman sustained severe injuries: a cut below the left knee nearly severing her leg, multiple fractures of her right arm, and a compound fracture of her right leg that doctors threatened to amputate. Froman had given her seat to another passenger, Tamara Drasin, who was killed in the crash, an action which her biographer Ilene Stone said "bothered her her whole life."
The co-pilot, John Curtis Burn, who broke his back in the crash, fashioned a makeshift raft from portions of the wrecked plane to help keep himself and Froman afloat. After being rescued, they were sent to the same convalescent home, where they battled their long recoveries together.
Married to Jane Froman from 1948-1956 their marriage was highly publicized and documented in the recently released book “Say it with Music” by Barbara Seuling and also in the movie “With a Song in my Heart” starring Rory Calhoun as John and Susan Hayward as Jane.
After a childhood in Atlanta and Colorado, John attended the University of Chattanooga and lived with his mother’s relatives in Chattanooga.
He was selected for further training as a pilot for World War II. He was a pilot for Pan American Airlines for 36 years, retiring in 1979 as a Captain of the 747 Aircraft running international flights. During his years as an awesome pilot, he experienced a hijacking and two airplane crashes.
He later worked for the Flight Safety Committee. After retiring from Pan Am he received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from NYU and formed the first fear of flying clinic with an associate.
He is survived by four children, Sean of Brighton, Ma.; Gray and his wife Jessica of Chelsea, Ma.; Heather of Brighton, Ma., and Nora and her husband Bruce Yerk, Jr., and their children, Michael and Matthew of Long Pond, Pa., and cousins, Mary Curtis Black, Paul Black, Mark Curtis and Jamie Curtis of Chattanooga.
Funeral services were held last Tuesday in Saddle River, N.J.
Announced by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, 622-9995.
John Curtis Burn, born February 19, 1919, formerly of Tenafly, New Jersey, died peacefully on February 7, 2009 in Upper Saddle River, N.J.
He was the husband of Dr. Charlene Hargrove Burn, a former New York Summer Festival Queen, model and psychiatrist.
He was also the former husband of the late Jane Froman, a popular singer in the 1940’s and early 50’s. Jane was severely injured as the result of an aircraft crash on February 22, 1943. She was aboard a USO plane, a Boeing 314 named Yankee Clipper (tail number NC18603). Yankee Clipper was carrying Froman and 38 others and as she was banking into a descending turn for approach, her port wingtip caught a wave, whereupon she crashed into the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal. One of fifteen survivors, Froman sustained severe injuries: a cut below the left knee nearly severing her leg, multiple fractures of her right arm, and a compound fracture of her right leg that doctors threatened to amputate. Froman had given her seat to another passenger, Tamara Drasin, who was killed in the crash, an action which her biographer Ilene Stone said "bothered her her whole life."
The co-pilot, John Curtis Burn, who broke his back in the crash, fashioned a makeshift raft from portions of the wrecked plane to help keep himself and Froman afloat. After being rescued, they were sent to the same convalescent home, where they battled their long recoveries together.
Married to Jane Froman from 1948-1956 their marriage was highly publicized and documented in the recently released book “Say it with Music” by Barbara Seuling and also in the movie “With a Song in my Heart” starring Rory Calhoun as John and Susan Hayward as Jane.
After a childhood in Atlanta and Colorado, John attended the University of Chattanooga and lived with his mother’s relatives in Chattanooga.
He was selected for further training as a pilot for World War II. He was a pilot for Pan American Airlines for 36 years, retiring in 1979 as a Captain of the 747 Aircraft running international flights. During his years as an awesome pilot, he experienced a hijacking and two airplane crashes.
He later worked for the Flight Safety Committee. After retiring from Pan Am he received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from NYU and formed the first fear of flying clinic with an associate.
He is survived by four children, Sean of Brighton, Ma.; Gray and his wife Jessica of Chelsea, Ma.; Heather of Brighton, Ma., and Nora and her husband Bruce Yerk, Jr., and their children, Michael and Matthew of Long Pond, Pa., and cousins, Mary Curtis Black, Paul Black, Mark Curtis and Jamie Curtis of Chattanooga.
Funeral services were held last Tuesday in Saddle River, N.J.
Announced by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, 622-9995.
He was the husband of Dr. Charlene Hargrove Burn, a former New York Summer Festival Queen, model and psychiatrist.
He was also the former husband of the late Jane Froman, a popular singer in the 1940’s and early 50’s. Jane was severely injured as the result of an aircraft crash on February 22, 1943. She was aboard a USO plane, a Boeing 314 named Yankee Clipper (tail number NC18603). Yankee Clipper was carrying Froman and 38 others and as she was banking into a descending turn for approach, her port wingtip caught a wave, whereupon she crashed into the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal. One of fifteen survivors, Froman sustained severe injuries: a cut below the left knee nearly severing her leg, multiple fractures of her right arm, and a compound fracture of her right leg that doctors threatened to amputate. Froman had given her seat to another passenger, Tamara Drasin, who was killed in the crash, an action which her biographer Ilene Stone said "bothered her her whole life."
The co-pilot, John Curtis Burn, who broke his back in the crash, fashioned a makeshift raft from portions of the wrecked plane to help keep himself and Froman afloat. After being rescued, they were sent to the same convalescent home, where they battled their long recoveries together.
Married to Jane Froman from 1948-1956 their marriage was highly publicized and documented in the recently released book “Say it with Music” by Barbara Seuling and also in the movie “With a Song in my Heart” starring Rory Calhoun as John and Susan Hayward as Jane.
After a childhood in Atlanta and Colorado, John attended the University of Chattanooga and lived with his mother’s relatives in Chattanooga.
He was selected for further training as a pilot for World War II. He was a pilot for Pan American Airlines for 36 years, retiring in 1979 as a Captain of the 747 Aircraft running international flights. During his years as an awesome pilot, he experienced a hijacking and two airplane crashes.
He later worked for the Flight Safety Committee. After retiring from Pan Am he received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from NYU and formed the first fear of flying clinic with an associate.
He is survived by four children, Sean of Brighton, Ma.; Gray and his wife Jessica of Chelsea, Ma.; Heather of Brighton, Ma., and Nora and her husband Bruce Yerk, Jr., and their children, Michael and Matthew of Long Pond, Pa., and cousins, Mary Curtis Black, Paul Black, Mark Curtis and Jamie Curtis of Chattanooga.
Funeral services were held last Tuesday in Saddle River, N.J.
Announced by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, 622-9995.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
