Fort Smith native remembers late grandfather's work on Garrison Ave. Bridge

Paige Eichkorn, Fort Smith Times Record
·3 min read

Willy Burns is a Fort Smith native who taught at Trusty Elementary from 1978 to 1985.

Burns grew up on Gordon Lane, in front of the Girl Scouts office Kelly Cabin. He said he remembers the famous cinematographer brothers, Martin and Mark Stouffer, also lived on his street.

Mark Stouffer went on to produce "Man Outside", "Wild America", "Creatures of Darkness" and more. A total of 7 feature motion pictures, 18 network specials, 120 episodes of series television, and 12 direct-to-video hits brought in over $57 million.

Stouffer's productions awarded him two Emmy Awards (including Outstanding Achievement in Directing), nine Emmy Award Nominations, a Directors Guild of America - Best Director Nomination, and over 75 international awards.

His "papaw," John Kissinger lived next door. At the time, Burns said there wasn't a central mall, "just strip pits where we swam."

After the 100 year anniversary of the opening of the "Million Dollar Bridge," Burns recalled his grandfather's stories of working on it at age 25.

More: How Fort Smith plans to celebrate 'iconic' Million Dollar Bridge's 100th birthday.

Garrison Avenue Bridge centennial celebrated with Mayor McGill.

John Kissinger and Hulda Peterson in December 1917, five years before the opening of Garrison Ave bridge.
John Kissinger and Hulda Peterson in December 1917, five years before the opening of Garrison Ave bridge.

Burns said Arkhola Sand and Gravel, a paving contractor and gravel plant in Van Buren, may have had a hand in the construction of the bridge.

"[My grandfather] used to talk about mule wagons hauling mortar, rock, etc. to the workers," Burns said. "He would walk down to the river, he told us, to do his work."

Burns said his family would joke with his grandfather about starting a worker's union.

"He'd go, 'A union, are you kiddin' me?' He'd bring a little bucket pot and he said, 'Man, I'd stick my biscuits and whatever was leftover from breakfast and I'd eat that during the day and I didn't stop.' I remember that," Burns said.

Conditions for construction workers were less than ideal in the 1900s.

"Papaw talked about a couple guys dying in the construction," Burns said.

Willy Burns, Fort Smith native, sits at the dinner table with his father, his grandfather, and cousins in 1979.
Willy Burns, Fort Smith native, sits at the dinner table with his father, his grandfather, and cousins in 1979.

After finishing at Woods and Trusty Elementary schools, Burns applied to teach internationally with the Department of Defense Education Activity. He got the opportunity to teach in Germany, where he met his wife Jane.

The couple moved back to the U.S. to be married in California. Both started as teachers in Modesto in 1992.

Jane taught kindergarten and third grade in Oakdale, from 1993 to 2019 while Willy was in Turlock as a clinical social worker and principal until 2006. Then he moved to Stockton where he was a high school continuation counselor from 2006 to 2009.

In 2009, Burns became a counselor and was able to work in Akiachak, Alaska in a remote Eskimo village.

The Burns' moved to Oakdale, California with their son, William the lll who lives in Newman. The couple has been retired in Modesto for the last three years.

They recently visited Fort Smith before the 100 year anniversary of the bridge.

Willy and Jane Burns join Willy's cousin Jill Carter Cutting at their favorite restaurant, Fish City Grill.
Willy and Jane Burns join Willy's cousin Jill Carter Cutting at their favorite restaurant, Fish City Grill.

"It was neat that he was a part of something that was in the making of history, trying to get that bridge over to Oklahoma, before that they were pretty limited," he said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Local remembers grandfather's work on Garrison Ave bridge