Windber businessman remembered as 'driven, kind and tenacious'

WINDBER ― John S. Burley is being remembered locally, nationally and internationally as a ”driven, kind and tenacious” innovator and businessman with a heart for helping others succeed.

Burley, 60, died on Dec. 29 when the single-engine, two-seater private airplane he was flying from Erie to Johnstown crashed in Allegheny National Forest near Marienville, Forest County. A Pennsylvania State Police incident report said Burley was found deceased at the crash site and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident.

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The Windber resident and experienced pilot was also the president of Everything Ice, a company that designs, manufactures and installs ice skating rinks worldwide, according to its website. The company has an administrative office in Salix, Cambria County, and a manufacturing facility in Johnstown.

Magic Ice USA, a subsidiary of Everything Ice, designs and installs portable ice rinks, ice slides and bumper cars used as seasonal entertainment at venues across the country, including the UPMC Rink at PPG Place in Pittsburgh and on the south lawn of the White House this season. Everything Ice acquired Magic Ice USA in August 2021.

Burley is survived by his wife, Veronica, and children Johnathon Burley and Victor, Luther and Jasmine Flores. Friends are to be received from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday at the Harris Funeral Home, 500 Cherry Lane in Johnstown. A Celebration of Life service is to take place at 12 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. The service will also be livestreamed through the Harris Funeral Home’s Facebook page.

Burley truly was ‘Everything Ice’

Burley was born Oct. 10, 1963, in New York, the son of William and Nancy Burley. He was raised in Conemaugh Township where, in the 1970s, William Burley operated Ideal Park, a recreational park off Route 985 that included an outdoor pool and ice rink.

When that business closed, William Burley started Burley’s Rink Supply and began selling rink equipment, which progressed into the construction of ice rinks. John Burley began working with his father in 1978 and graduated in 1981 from Conemaugh Township Area High School.

In 1999, the Burleys built Planet Ice, an indoor ice rink in Richland Township that also housed their manufacturing and business operation. The 100,000-square-foot facility “featured some of the latest technology for its time,” according to the Everything Ice website. The company and building were sold in 2004.

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In 2007, John Burley started Everything Ice, and the company “became a symbol of excellence, integrity and unwavering commitment to everyone in the ice rink industry,” according to his obituary posted at the Harris Funeral Home website.

“There wasn’t anything John couldn’t do,” said Marcie Brown, who has worked with Burley for the past 10 years as a sales assistant at Everything Ice. “He was a man who never shied away from a challenge, he was able to figure anything out.

“He also was the first person to jump to help another. From customers that turned into friends to business partners, he made himself available to everyone 24/7. He would answer his phone at 2 a.m. if needed.”

John Burley’s expertise in ice rink design and installation also made him a trusted consultant and led him to develop new technologies and solutions in the industry, where he “received more new ice rink patents than any other person,” according to his biography on the Everything Ice website.

“John has written numerous industry papers regarding building and ice rink design aspects, in addition to being a pioneer of energy conservation technologies,” the biography said.

One of Burley’s notable innovations in the industry was the Instant Ice mat system he developed for use on portable ice rinks, Brown said.

“This is an extruded material that has a series of tubes webbed together to provide a solid rolled-out rink piping system,” she said. “This type of piping system was the first of its kind developed by John.”

'Customers quickly became his friends'

Burley worked on projects across the country and around the world, serving clients that included architectural and engineering firms, national, regional and local hockey teams, Olympics and Goodwill Games venues and ice rink projects in many cities.

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“John’s knowledge of anything ice rink related made him the go-to (person) for many people across the country,” Brown said. “Because of that, those who started as customers quickly became his friends.”

He also enjoyed the work and seeing the interest in ice rinks and related entertainment grow.

“He would say that (he enjoyed most) his ability to help others and help the ice rink industry remain healthy,” Brown said. “He loved seeing ice rinks successful, both with profits and use.”

Beyond the rink, Burley enjoyed photography, aviation, fishing and going on adventures with his wife.

“John will not only be remembered for his business achievements and endless knowledge, but also for his kindness and mentorship, helping anyone that needed it,” the obituary posting said.

Those who are interested are asked to donate to a charity of their choice in memory of John S. Burley.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Everything Ice President John S. Burley remembered for his expertise in ice rink industry