Edward Lawrence Burnham

Edward Lawrence Burnham (02/04/1945-08/04/2025), was an American classical musician, stage manager, and real estate professional.

He played French horn as a member of the North Carolina Symphony for 27 years, performing from 1969 to 1996. Before that, he attended Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington where he studied with the legendary Philip Farkas. 

He started playing the horn as a child (taught by his father, John Burnham) and made his solo debut with the New Orleans Philharmonic, playing the Richard Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1, after winning that orchestra’s youth soloist competition. 

Between Indiana University and the North Carolina Symphony, Edward played horn in the 5th U.S. Army Band in Chicago, while also playing in the Chicago Civic Symphony. In addition to playing the French horn with the North Carolina Symphony, Edward carried out the demanding role of Stage Manager for that organization, enabling its mission of traveling extensively to bring live, high-quality classical music directly to local communities throughout the state of North Carolina.

Following his retirement from the North Carolina Symphony, Edward relocated to the Pacific Northwest and launched his second career as a professional real estate broker, specializing in residential properties in the close-in geographic neighborhoods of Eastside Portland, Oregon.

Edward, or “Tobe” as he was called by family and others close to him, was an avid outdoorsman who loved the mountains — the Great Smoky Mountains, when in North Carolina, and later the Mount Hood National Forest, when in Portland. As a hiker, he was second to none, with one hiking partner commenting that he hiked at a speed of 6 mph, and that the only way to keep up with him was to wait until he stopped for a smoke break. (He later quit smoking.)

Some of Tobe’s ashes will be scattered along a trail in the Great Smoky Mountains, some will go to a Buddhist retreat in Oregon and the rest to be scattered with his wife’s ashes when the time comes.

Tobe is survived by his two brothers, Bill and Jaime, his sister Helen Hatch, his wife Ananda Kramer, 3 stepdaughters-Aurora McManus (Adam Krakow), Mira Kida (Greg) and Dea Martin (Thomas) and 3 step grandsons-Oren Krakow, Onyx Kida and Aden Kida. He was predeceased by his brother Tom and sister Betty, and his parents John and Elizabeth Burnham.

Aftercare arrangements entrusted to Chicagoland Cremation Options of Schiller Park, IL