Steven Burns rushed home from work at the Eastham Fire Dept. every day at 6 p.m. sharp for dinner with his family — a ritual he rarely missed. On some nights, he pulled into the driveway in a blazing red squad truck as his children delightedly waited outside, watching for the flashing lights.

When he stepped out of his truck, the comforting aroma of chicken paprika and the warm embraces of his family welcomed him.

A lifelong public servant and devoted family man, Steve died on July 12, 2025 surrounded by loved ones in his Eastham home after a long struggle with metastatic lung cancer. He was 71.

Steve was born in Worcester on April 24, 1954 to the late Bill and Barbara Burns — along with his twin brother, Gary. In 1960, the family moved to Eastham, where Steve attended Nauset High School. Shortly after graduation, he met Karen Erickson, who would become his wife of 46 years.

With a degree in fire education from Cape Cod Community College and certification as a paramedic, Steve followed in his father’s footsteps — joining the Eastham Fire Dept. with Gary. His steady leadership and levelheaded decision-making earned him the respect of his peers, and over the years he rose through the ranks to captain.

“He was the calm during the storm,” said Charles Frazier, the current captain of the department. “He got everybody focused and made sure we got the job at hand done to the best of our abilities.”

After he retired in 2014, Steve’s work helping others didn’t end. He spent hours each day driving clients of Cape Abilities to their medical appointments, offering the same steady hand he’d given to his community for more than four decades.

When word spread about Steve’s cancer, his former co-workers organized monthly dinners with him to catch up, reminisce, and share stories from their years on the job over pints of beer. At their last dinner together at Town Cove Tap House, Steve was “still himself,” his friends said.

“He hung in there,” said Charles. “He fought the fight, and he focused on his family.”

Even as his illness progressed, Steve refused to let it define him.

“He never outwardly complained,” said Gary. “I think he knew he was not OK, but he wanted us to think he was — just to give us all some optimism.”

That quiet fortitude and compassion was especially felt by Gary, his lifelong best friend. From the moment they were born, the two were inseparable. They worked side by side at the fire dept., spent weekends golfing, and lived just half a mile apart.

“We were so close,” said Gary. “We have memory after memory after memory, and they’re all good.”

When Steve wasn’t working, he traveled with his family to Greenville, Maine, where he “opened camp” — his term for readying their lakeside home for the season. There, he found a rare stillness, sitting by the beach and watching his grandchildren make sandcastles.

Steve also loved taking motorcycle trips with his wife. One year, he and Karen joined America’s 9/11 Ride, traveling to the Flight 93 crash site in Pennsylvania to honor those killed in the attacks. Another year, they biked through the winding scenic routes of Nova Scotia.

Steve and Karen had always hoped to visit Germany for Oktoberfest, but his health declined before they could make the trip a reality. Now, his family plans to attend the festival in his honor.

Just a few days after his death, his family gathered at their vacation home in Greenville — the place where Steve had felt most at peace. There, they “opened camp” to commemorate the man whose quiet strength and steady presence grounded them all.

Steve is survived by his wife, Karen Burns; his twin brother, Gary Burns, and wife Maura; his daughter Rachael Burns; his son, Aaron Burns, and wife Brittney; his daughter Alison Burns and her children, Linnea and Layla Howe; his brother Dave Burns and wife Linda; his sweetheart Puggle, Auggie; and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Steve’s life is being planned by the family. Donations in Steve’s honor can be made to the Eastham Fire Dept.