1919
Wynelle
2012
Wynelle Burns
September 15, 1919 — October 29, 2012
Houston/Harlingen, TX:
Wynelle J. Burns, age 93, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 29, 2012 in Houston, Texas.
Wynelle was born on September 15, 1919 to Ben and Lucy (Brown) Jones in Fort Worth, Texas. She came to the Rio Grande Valley as a teenager with her family. On August 24, 1935 Wynelle married Ray F. Burns. She was 16 and he was 19. A truly beautiful marriage and partnership ensued for the next 74 years until Ray’s death in May of 2009.
Members of the greatest generation, Ray and Wynelle were separated by distance during his three and a half year service in the Navy during WWII. They survived the Great Depression together and learned to appreciate the blessing of simply having jobs, being able to support themselves and they depended on each other.
In 1947 Wynelle gave birth to their first child, a son they named Mike. A second son, Bill, followed in 1953. Wynelle was a stay at home wife and mother until her boys were raised at which time she pursued higher education. She obtained her associates’ degree in Texas Southmost College, a bachelor’s from Pan American College, and even went on to make the twice-weekly drive to Kingsville to achieve a master’s degree at Texas A & I University in Kingsville. Later Wynelle remarked she would have liked to have pursued her doctorate degree if she could have because she so loved being a student and learning.
Wynelle went on to teach fifth grade at Ed Downs Elementary School in San Benito for 21 years. Many of her students were residents of Sunny Glen Children’s Home. She showered them with extra gifts, visits, and special attention.
First Baptist Church of Harlingen was Wynelle & Ray’s church home for decades. They were active members well into their 80’s. Wynelle taught a children’s Sunday School class for many years and Ray served as a deacon. In their retirement they greatly enjoyed participating in senior adult activities, such as the ‘Senior Singers,’ monthly luncheons, day trips and weekly domino sessions.
Wynelle was a beautiful lady inside and out. With her flashy style and big hair, brightly colored wardrobe, hot pink lipstick and sequined accessories, her outward appearance portrayed her inward young-at-heart self. Wynelle had the gift of encouragement and was an incredibly positive person. If you were the lucky recipient of one of her handwritten notes, you would feel truly special. She loved her husband, sons and their families and they loved her back. She was adored by her extended family and will forever be remembered by the Burns Clan for her participation in a skit at their reunion at Mo-Ranch in 1996.
Wynelle was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters June and Catherine and her beloved husband Ray. Survivors include her two sons and their spouses, Mike Burns and Robin Fisher, Bill Burns and Jennifer Oppy Burns, granddaughters Staci, Kendall, Taylor, Alexis and Kelly, and one great-granddaughter Josephine. Wynelle is also survived by one sister, Pat Jones Blackmon.
Visitation will be held Monday, November 5, 2012 at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. with family present from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. in the chapel of First Baptist Church in Harlingen. Entombment will follow at Restlawn Memorial Park in La Feria.
Pall bearers will be her nephews and great nephews Keith, Ricky, Bobby, Andy & Levi Burns and Gene Catlett.
The family requests that those desiring to do so may make memorial contributions to either First Baptist Church of Harlingen at 501 E. Van Buren, Harlingen, Texas 78550 or the Alzheimer’s Association at P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.
Wynelle J. Burns, age 93, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 29, 2012 in Houston, Texas.
Wynelle was born on September 15, 1919 to Ben and Lucy (Brown) Jones in Fort Worth, Texas. She came to the Rio Grande Valley as a teenager with her family. On August 24, 1935 Wynelle married Ray F. Burns. She was 16 and he was 19. A truly beautiful marriage and partnership ensued for the next 74 years until Ray’s death in May of 2009.
Members of the greatest generation, Ray and Wynelle were separated by distance during his three and a half year service in the Navy during WWII. They survived the Great Depression together and learned to appreciate the blessing of simply having jobs, being able to support themselves and they depended on each other.
In 1947 Wynelle gave birth to their first child, a son they named Mike. A second son, Bill, followed in 1953. Wynelle was a stay at home wife and mother until her boys were raised at which time she pursued higher education. She obtained her associates’ degree in Texas Southmost College, a bachelor’s from Pan American College, and even went on to make the twice-weekly drive to Kingsville to achieve a master’s degree at Texas A & I University in Kingsville. Later Wynelle remarked she would have liked to have pursued her doctorate degree if she could have because she so loved being a student and learning.
Wynelle went on to teach fifth grade at Ed Downs Elementary School in San Benito for 21 years. Many of her students were residents of Sunny Glen Children’s Home. She showered them with extra gifts, visits, and special attention.
First Baptist Church of Harlingen was Wynelle & Ray’s church home for decades. They were active members well into their 80’s. Wynelle taught a children’s Sunday School class for many years and Ray served as a deacon. In their retirement they greatly enjoyed participating in senior adult activities, such as the ‘Senior Singers,’ monthly luncheons, day trips and weekly domino sessions.
Wynelle was a beautiful lady inside and out. With her flashy style and big hair, brightly colored wardrobe, hot pink lipstick and sequined accessories, her outward appearance portrayed her inward young-at-heart self. Wynelle had the gift of encouragement and was an incredibly positive person. If you were the lucky recipient of one of her handwritten notes, you would feel truly special. She loved her husband, sons and their families and they loved her back. She was adored by her extended family and will forever be remembered by the Burns Clan for her participation in a skit at their reunion at Mo-Ranch in 1996.
Wynelle was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters June and Catherine and her beloved husband Ray. Survivors include her two sons and their spouses, Mike Burns and Robin Fisher, Bill Burns and Jennifer Oppy Burns, granddaughters Staci, Kendall, Taylor, Alexis and Kelly, and one great-granddaughter Josephine. Wynelle is also survived by one sister, Pat Jones Blackmon.
Visitation will be held Monday, November 5, 2012 at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. with family present from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. in the chapel of First Baptist Church in Harlingen. Entombment will follow at Restlawn Memorial Park in La Feria.
Pall bearers will be her nephews and great nephews Keith, Ricky, Bobby, Andy & Levi Burns and Gene Catlett.
The family requests that those desiring to do so may make memorial contributions to either First Baptist Church of Harlingen at 501 E. Van Buren, Harlingen, Texas 78550 or the Alzheimer’s Association at P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.
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