Roll Call Tribute

Michael Nixon "Mike" Burnside 

August 31, 1947 - April 22, 2025 

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Michael Nixon Burnside on April 22, 2025, at his ranch outside Jourdanton, Texas, of metastatic lung cancer at 77 years old. Mike was born into a long line of farmers on August 31, 1947, in San Antonio, Texas. After surviving childhood polio, he grew up farming rice and running cows with his father near Baytown, Texas, until his father's untimely death in 1960. Mike graduated in 1965 from Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, where he took time out from working on friends' cars to attend class. Mike met his wife, Connie Cook, in high school, and they married in 1966. They both attended Texas A&M University, where Connie was allowed to enroll because she was married to an Aggie.

Mike obtained a BS in Agronomy in 1969, worked briefly for the new owner of the farm he grew up on, and then moved to Bay City, Texas, in 1971, where he farmed rice and raised three children: Mitzi, Jason, and Amy. In Bay City, Mike farmed rice and several row crops for 53 years, regularly producing the outstanding crop yields that earned him the nickname "Magic." He bought a tract of land near Jourdanton, Texas, in 2010 and turned it into a treasured ranch, perfecting it over fifteen years. He retired from farming and became a rancher for the remainder of his life (in spite of having told his family to "shoot him" if he ever bought a cow).

To those who knew and loved him, Mike answered to many names—Papa, The Colonel, Gravy, Magic, Boone, Uncle Mike, and Mikey. In every role he embraced—husband, father, friend, brother, hunter, fisherman, farmer, rancher, and community member—Mike brought unparalleled dedication, wisdom, and integrity. The things Mike loved most in his life were his family, early morning breakfast & coffee with friends, farming, the Jourdanton ranch (The Place), his Brangus cattle, fishing, deer hunting, and his chihuahuas. For all of us, Mike was always there, a provider and protector for all who knew him. He was the "Go-To Problem Solver" for fellow farmers, ranchers, businessmen, and for friends, family, and family friends throughout his life. He was a man of few words, but his words carried weight and had great significance. His integrity was an inspiration for everyone who knew him.

Mike was preceded in death by his father, Neil; mother, Sissie; and grandson, Christian. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Connie; mother-in-law, Gerry; sister, Beth; brother, Tommy (Dayle); sister-in-law, Linda; daughter, Mitzi, grandchildren, Michael and Mya; son, Jason (Tina); grandchildren, Zane and Zaelyn; daughter, Amy; nephews & nieces, Chuck and Corey, Jake, Brandy and Bianca; and his Chihuahua soul mate, Maggie.

A Celebration of Mike's life will be held at Stone's Market, 1840 7th Street, Bay City, Texas, at 11 AM on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, keeping with Mike's lifelong dedication to agriculture and investing in future generations, the family requests memorial contributions be made to either The Matagorda County Fair and Livestock Association and mail to P.O. Box 1803, Bay City, Texas 77404-1803) or The Jourdanton FFA Booster Club (P.O. Box 927, Jourdanton, Texas 78026 (please indicate "In Memory of Mike Burnside" in Memo ).