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Robert Austin Burson of Port St. Lucie, Florida, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2026, at Hospice of the Treasure Coast. Bob, as he was known by most (except the littles in his family who called him Bobby or Opa Bob) was a kind and gentle soul; a loving husband ; a sentimental brother , uncle, and cousin; and a good friend to many .....a true southern gentleman.

Bob was born in 1951 in Fort Myers, Florida, to Paul and Noma Burson. He was the youngest in a family six, and older sisters, Daveen, Paula and Cheryl frequently (and affectionately, of course) referred to him as “the little prince." Bob was a true Florida boy, thriving in the Boy Scout campgrounds surrounding Lee County, with his father as the scoutmaster of Ft. Myers Troop 18. Together they both remained active in scouting throughout their lifetimes. Bob often credited scouting with teaching him many of the life principles ( loyalty, helpfulness, respect for others, and trustworthiness) he used in his everyday life.

Always an avid Gator fan, Bob earned his BSBA with honors from the University of Florida in 1973, and his Juris Doctorate from UF’s Holland Law Center in 1976 . Bob was sworn into the Florida Bar in 1976 and just received the Florida Bar’s 50 Years of Practice Award in June of 2026.

Bob moved to Stuart in December of 1976 and was a partner in the Palm Beach County firm of Cromwell and Remsen, operating its Stuart office until 1982, when he opened his private practice in real estate law, estate planning and probate, and corporate and banking law, where he practiced until his passing. Bob was a Board Certified Real Estate attorney with an AV Rating for 32 years and was a member of the American Bar Association; the Martin County Bar Association, a charter member of the Real Property Council of Martin County, chairman and member of the Florida Bar Grievance committee in the early 2000s and a trustee of Attorneys Title Insurance Fund.

While the law was his profession, Bob’s true enthusiasm was saved for his community involvement, especially with the Kiwanis Club of Stuart, which he joined in 1979, serving as a board member, secretary and as its President in 1985-86; Lieutenant Governor; State Chairman for Kiwanis International Special Olympics; and founding sponsor of Aktion Club of Martin County for special needs adults. His favorite projects were Kiwanis Youth Park; Special Olympics; Saturdays with Santa and most of all, Pancakes and Reading in the Park. And, he could always be found with his camera at any Kiwanis function, meeting or event.

In addition, Bob was a charter member and director, president, secretary, and board member for over 20 years of the Lyric Theatre in Stuart. He was the Clerk of Session for the First Presbyterian Church of Port St. Lucie and charter director and president of Keep Martin Beautiful in the late 1990s.

In his spare time, Bob was an active amateur photographer and he assembled a large collection of old photography and video equipment over the last 50 years, which will be donated to a museum for future generations to enjoy. Of course, as an avid (or rabid) Gator fan, whether it was football, basketball, gymnastics, or swimming, Bob wore his UF Gator Orange and Blue proudly, and he was proudest of his big Gator Blue truck , which he drove daily since 2006.

Bob is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 52 years, Jo; two sisters, Paula (Greg) Robertson, and Cheryl ( Michael) Field; his sister-in-law, Monique McCall, without whom the last few months would have been impossible in the operation of his office; his brother-in-law, Matt McCall, who was a constant source of support these past six months; his sisters in law, Yvonne Rohaley and Pamela (Doug) Wedding; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; a special mention to all the “littles” as he called them, who sent him handmade cards and drawings to keep him going this past year: Gemma Rose Nolan, Maverick Nolan; and Spencer Shelton, Emmett Shelton, Jasper Shelton, and Dexter Shelton; and to Morgan (McCall) Nolan, Matthew McCall and Taunya (Wedding) Shelton, the three now fully grown nieces and nephew who were so much a part of his everyday life, as they grew up in his day-to-day world and listened to his “educational opportunities” because they were his special children.

The family would also like to extend a very special thank you to Dr. Cheryl Jordan of Stuart for her unwavering and loving care, and hours of dedication to Bob during his valiant battle with cancer.

Bob loved his family; he loved his profession; he loved Scouting, Kiwanis, photography; and his community.

A Memorial Service will be held at Promenade on the River located at 2240 SE Veteran’s Memorial Parkway in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 10:00AM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Kiwanis Club of Stuart Foundation, in memory of Bob Burson, (P.O. Box 532, Stuart FL 34995) to support a local community project in Bob's name, or to Hospice of the Treasure Coast.