Charles "Bruce" Burns
11/06/1949 – 09/19/2026
Charles “Bruce” Burns passed away peacefully on September 19, 2026, at a local hospice house in Tampa, Florida. Born on November 6, 1949, in Memphis, Tennessee, Bruce was known for a kind heart and a voracious appetite for information. He was constantly reading and was very knowledgeable on a diverse range of topics. In addition to reading, he loved to be outdoors, walking, gardening or just enjoying the fresh air. Bruce spent eight years of his childhood in Japan and he developed a lifelong love of Asian art.
Bruce graduated from the University of Hartford, and his early work was with AT&T working in Public Affairs and Community Relations. He was awarded the Arthur Page Award, the company’s top PR honor.
He later established Curry/Blackburn Communications, and consulted with individuals, businesses and government agencies, including The World Bank, Citibank, AT&T, Westinghouse and the BBC. His work received many awards, including The Thoth Award from the National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America
Bruce began his teaching career as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C., where he taught a comprehensive audio and video communication course. When he moved to Florida, he began teaching at Hillsborough Community College. He taught developmental writing and three levels of English as a Second Language. He taught there until he retired.
Bruce leaves behind many friends and his brother and his brother’s family.
I will miss Bruce very much. We had a 30 year friendship, beginning as roommates in Tampa and ending up as best buddies no matter where each of us lived. He kept me in the know and entertained. It’s so hard to believe he’s gone.