Richard John Burns, Jr., D.O.
OBITUARY
Richard John Burns, Jr., D.O., 58, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and close friends, on June 11, 2026. After winning his fight with cancer, he lost his life to chemotherapy, unable to overcome the sudden onset of pneumonia.
Born on October 26, 1967, Rick was one of the most kind and generous humans on the planet. He was a devoted physician, a beloved son, loving brother, hysterical uncle, and thoughtful friend whose presence brought laughter, joy, relief, and warmth to everyone who knew him.
Rick grew up in the Wyoming Valley, graduating from James M. Coughlin High School, Wilkes-Barre, in 1986. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Scranton in 1989, and then his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1993. He was board-certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Upon completing his training, Rick joined Dr. Joseph Andrioli’s practice in Scranton, where he built his career caring for women of the community with compassion, precision, and an unwavering commitment.
On December 22, 1998, Rick purchased Dr. Andriolis’s practice and continued as a solo practitioner until the day he died. He was affiliated with Moses Taylor Hospital. His dedication was not a professional quality. It was a defining characteristic of the man he was. He ushered thousands of children into the world, often holding them up and declaring, Another miracle!
To know him was to love him. He shared his joy of music, birds, and botany among family and friends with wild abandon. If he wasnt taking you to a concert or dinner, he was handing you a plant or sharing a picture of a bird outside his window. His knowledge and appreciation of the natural world reflected the same careful attention he brought to everything he loved.
There is nothing he loved more than his two nephews, Jake and Henry Selingo. From the time they were born, he treated them as if they were his own, traveling with them, caring for them, and humoring them through every single family get-together.
Rick is survived by his parents, Richard and Maria (Sindaco) Burns; his sister, Tracey and brother-in-law, David Selingo; his beloved nephews, Jake and Henry Selingo, his devoted friend, Christine Policare.
A visitation for Rick will be held Thursday, June 18, 2026 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at St. Maria Goretti Church, 42 Redwood Drive, Laflin, PA 18702, with a Blessing Service to be held at 3:00 PM. Arrangements entrusted to the Corcoran Funeral Home, Inc., 20 South Main Street, Plains, PA 18705.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Rick’s memory to the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts or Longwood Gardens, two of his favorite places to relax, unwind, and celebrate the beauty of life.
For additional information or to leave Rick’s family a message of condolence, please visit www.corcoranfuneralhome.com or on Facebook – Corcoran Funeral Home, Inc.
Richard John Burns, Jr., D.O.
June 11, 2026