Obituary
From CFI
For those of us who knew and loved the Rt. Reverend Patrick Manley Burnstad, aka “Sumo”, his presence will be dearly missed as he passed on July 21. Sumo will be remembered for his feisty, critical intellect and his friendly, fun loving nature. He loved foraging for wild mushrooms, learning about medicinal plants and making herbal tinctures, analyzing the geology of any terrain, gardening, appreciating fine jewelry and art, but mostly just engaging people in conversation. He was a psychologist and part of the Human Potential Movement that grew out of Esalen Institute. Sumo especially loved books and was always reading, learning something new and sharing fascinating information.
Sumo and family moved to Redwood Valley, CA in 1989 and operated “Diamonds And The Rough”, a rock shop, jewelry and fine art business and, Horizontes Ecuatorianos, a travel agency that encouraged cultural exchange between the US and Ecuador. Most recently, Sumo worked to promote Post Peak Oil Preparedness as a steering committee member of the Willits and Ukiah economic localization groups and hosted a cutting edge alternative news program called “Beyond the Limits” on KMEC Radio. He was an environmental and MMJ activist sitting on the Board of Directors of Cloud Forest Institute, Globewide Network Academy and Norcal NORML. In 1985 Sumo was President of the Silicon Valley Computer Society.
Sumo was born December 11, 1943, to Hattie Fetterley Burnstad and Norman Per “Mike” Burnstad in Bismarck, North Dakota. The family, including his two sisters, soon moved to Worland, Wyoming. Sumo left for California right after HS and then graduated from San Jose State. The stories of the exploits of Sumo and his contemporaries in California, Mexico and Wyoming during the 60’s made him and them a legend in their own time.
He met his wife, Jenny, in 1969 at Colorado State College Free University where he was leading Encounter Groups. Their son, Freeman Aarn, was born in WY but they soon moved to North Dakota to become truck farmers and help start the Bismarck Farmers Market. The short growing season of ND sent them back to CA where Sumo began Lands End Computers and his professional career as a computer consultant. The family returned to WY for the birth of daughter, Freeda Alida, but once again came back to CA in 1979, living in Calistoga for 10 years before settling in Mendocino County.
Sumo’s spirit will be held in the hearts of his wife, Jenny Burnstad, son and daughter in law; Freeman Aarn Burnstad and Maria Berggren, daughter; Freeda Alida Burnstad, elder sister; Dr. Helen Marie Burnstad, younger sister and family; Karen Sue Kiang and Paul Kiang, niece and nephew; Karma Kiang Bakken and Elwood Bakken, and grand niece, Ocean Chi Kiang Bakken, brothers-in-law; Charlie De Stasio and Frank De Stasio and families and sister-in-law and niece; Marlene and Haley De Stasio as well as many extended family and friends, especially those whose important celebrations were blessed by him. Contributions can be sent to Cloud Forest Institute, P.O. Box 1435, Ukiah, CA 95482, where a Memorial Grove of cloud forest wilderness will be conserved in Ecuador in his honor.
