Arnold J. “Bub” Burbank, 57, a longtime resident and current fire chief of Waitsfield, passed away in the comfort of his family on Thursday, October 27, 2016, at the UVM Medical Center in Burlington. Born in Greenfield, MS, on February 11, 1959, he was the son of the late James N. and Beverly (Willey) Burbank. On May 20, 1984, he married the former Deborah Neill in Waitsfield.
Bub was a 1977 graduate of Harwood Union High School and during his junior and senior high school years, helped in the family firewood business. After graduation, Bub went to work farming for Paul Hartshorn and then later for the Kenyon Farm as well as in their farm store. Following, he worked several years for the town of Waitsfield highway department before being employed for 18 years as a truck driver for F.G. White Fuel Co. More recently Bub worked in maintenance at Waitsfield Elementary School and then currently at Green Mountain Valley School. In addition, Bub was the creator, designer and proprietor of Bubby’s Wood Toys for over 10 years.
Bub was an active 39-year member of the Waitsfield-Fayston Fire Department and was currently serving as fire chief. In addition, he also was a volunteer driver for Mad River Valley Ambulance Service for over 18 years. In his leisure time he enjoyed gardening, fishing and beekeeping.
Bub is loved and mourned by his wife of 32 years, Deborah N. Burbank of Waitsfield; their sons, Benjamin A. Burbank, and his partner Paula Cerda of Anchorage, Alaska, and Timothy M. Burbank of Colorado; two sisters, Debra L. Burbank and Sandra J. Burbank, both of Manchester, New Hampshire; a brother, Robert L. Burbank of Georgia, VT; his mother-in-law, Lucille Neill of Waitsfield; a brother-in-law, Bryan Neill and his wife Susan of Waitsfield; his canine best friend, Floyd; as well as nieces, a nephew and extended family.
Memorial services will be held from Waitsfield United Church of Christ on Saturday, November 5, 2016, at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow in the church dining room. The family requests that flowers be omitted; rather memorial gifts would be appreciated to the Waitsfield-Fayston Fire Department, 4144 Main Street, Waitsfield, VT 05673, or to Hope Lodge, 237 East Ave., Burlington, VT 05401-3412. Assisting the family is Perkins-Parker Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Waterbury. To send online condolences please visit www.perkinsparker.com.
