Joseph Rawlinson

Message from the President 

Oct. 6, 2011

Dear LMU Community:

It is with sadness that I tell you of the death of Joseph E. Rawlinson, J.D. ’58, the president and chairman of the Fritz B. Burns Foundation and a generous benefactor of the university.  He passed away on Sept. 30 at age 96.

Joseph met Fritz Burns in 1952 and they soon became business partners and close confidants. He became a trustee of the Burns Foundation in 1979 and began serving as president in1985. In addition to many student scholarships, the Burns Foundation has funded faculty endowments, lecture series, and major projects including the Fritz B. Burns Fine Arts Center, the Fritz B. Burns Recreation Center and the Fritz B. Burns Student Plaza at Loyola Law School.

Joseph earned his B.A. at the University of Utah in 1936. He worked as a certified public accountant and for several years at the IRS. He embarked on his legal and investment career after joining the bar.

He is survived by his wife and nine children, 21 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be held Sunday, Oct. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Bastian and Perrott, Oswald Mortuary, 18728 Parthenia Street, Northridge, CA 91324.  A second viewing will be held Monday, Oct. 10, at 9:30 a.m., followed by the funeral at 11 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS – Northridge Building, 17101 Plummer Street, Northridge, CA 91325.

Please keep Joseph and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,
 

David W. Burcham
President