Kevin William Burt

Kevin William Burt, 73, died on May 5, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio, after a sudden heart attack at home. Born November 26, 1952, in Findlay, Ohio, Kevin grew up in Vermilion, Ohio, and graduated from Vermilion High School in 1971. He graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1975 with a degree in electrical engineering and attended graduate school at The Ohio State University. Kevin married his high school sweetheart Diana Beiner Burt almost 52 years ago and together they had four children.

Kevin worked as an electrical engineer in Lancaster, Ohio, before becoming a woodworker. He created and painted a comprehensive line of miniature wooden birds that he and Diana sold through craft shows and in stores across the country.

Kevin designed and constructed every element of his family’s unconventional four-story home in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, including custom cabinets, doors, and windows. Kevin created and expanded the home to accommodate his family and host parties large and small. A warm weekend at Kevin and Diana’s home typically included Kevin cooking a meal, sipping a favorite IPA, and conversing with family and friends, often while his children and grandchildren played games and created costumes or decorations for holiday parties. Always an active grandfather, Kevin was on the floor making up games or riding with the kids down a sled run through his property. He was sustained by his well-honed daily routines – optimizing nutrition, exercising with weights and on the bike, chopping wood, and enjoying the birds as he gardened.

As a voracious learner, Kevin never stopped reading, diving deep into history, geography, philosophy, science, and literature. He studied languages to make connections on international trips. Other interests included bicycling, hiking, investing, cooking, baking bread, and chasing total solar eclipses. In 2020, Kevin published his post-apocalyptic young adult novel, The Wolf: Max and Toby Book One. The novel was an example of Kevin’s creative storytelling that entertained his children and grandchildren as well as the many followers of the blogs he published to share his and Diana’s travel adventures.

During his children’s school years, Kevin volunteered his time extensively at Mt. Vernon schools, including coaching Odyssey of the Mind teams, contributing to science fairs, and assisting in the creation of an elaborate eclipse celebration to spark Columbia Elementary School students’ excitement about astronomy. He was instrumental in developing girls’ soccer in Mt. Vernon, coaching YMCA teams, developing travel teams, and eventually serving as the coach for the high school girls’ soccer team.

Kevin and Diana traveled frequently, beginning with a cross-country honeymoon, camping out of their small car in 1974. They took their children on road trips throughout the U.S. and to Mexico and Central America. With other family members, they converted a school bus for a camping trip out West with 27 family members and friends. They traveled across Europe in a VW camper early in their marriage and returned to Europe many times, often stopping over to visit the young German man they had hosted as a high school exchange student. Kevin and Diana celebrated their 50th anniversary in Paris, his favorite city. Other travel included Africa, South America, Australia, and New Zealand, often with family or friends. Kevin and Diana recently completed a month-long trip to Japan to reconnect with a friend who came to Vermilion as a high school foreign exchange student. Their trips resulted in many treasured lifelong friendships.

Kevin is survived by his wife Diana, daughter Kelly Burt (son-in-law Dan Mead), son Ryan Burt (daughter-in-law Cari), daughter Kristy Burt, and son David Evans (daughter-in-law Sam); grandchildren Athena, Orion, Felix, and Jade Evans, and Benji and Ivy Burt; siblings Kris Burt (Juli), Tracy Crow (Mark Williamson), and sister-in-law Carol Lapp (Carlton, deceased); nieces and nephews Jeff, Jennifer, Kasey, Kerri, and Jenna and their children; and countless friends. Kevin is preceded in death by his parents June Evans Crow and William Urban Burt, and stepfather Arthur Crow Jr.

Calling hours are from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday, May 23, at the Knox County Foundation Pavilion in Ariel-Foundation Park, 10 Pittsburgh Ave., Mount Vernon, Ohio. A memorial service will follow. Memorial contributions can be made to MTVarts (mtvarts.com) or Ariel-Foundation Park Conservancy (arielfoundationpark.org), both in Mount Vernon, Ohio, or to a non-profit hospice of your choice.