Longtime TV Anchor Jim Burns Retires

Jim Burns, center, is seen in a photo mural backstage at KFVS12's downtown Cape Girardeau studio during Burns's final morning show before retirement Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Anchors Jim Burns and Crystal Britt are seen at the KFVS news desk during Burns's final morning show before retirement Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Anchor Jim Burns checks his reflection in a mirror at the KFVS news desk during a break in his final morning show before retirement Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Longtime KFVS anchor Jim Burns reacts to seeing his colleague Randy Ray return to the sports desk to deliver the segment and say goodbye during Burns's final morning show before retirement at the KFVS studio, Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

KFVS anchor Crystal Britt smiles at Jim Burns during Burns's final morning show before retirement at the KFVS studio, Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. Burns spent 39 years at the television station. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Anchors Jim Burns and Crystal Britt are seen at the KFVS news desk behind a Heartland News coffee mug on a nearby desk during Burns's final morning show before retirement Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Jim Burns's wife of 41 years, Lisa, brushes off her husband's lapel before he returns to the KFVS news desk during Burns's final morning show before retirement Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Longtime KFVS anchor Jim Burns retired after 39 years with the TV station. He is seen here preparing for his final morning show, smiling as his colleague Randy Ray makes a surprise visit to the sports desk to say goodbye, and on a monitor under the station's studio lights. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

From left, anchors Justin Fischer, Jim Burns and Crystal Britt and meteorologist Brian Alworth are seen at the KFVS news desk during Burns's final morning show before retirement Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)

Anchor Jim Burns and colleague Tom Siebert are seen in the reflection of the underside of a teleprompter at the KFVS news desk after Burns's final morning show before retirement Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. (Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian)