Obituary of Evelyn Lorraine Burns

Evelyn Lorraine Burns was born on December 29, 1943 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas along with her identical twin sister, Carolyn. The twins were the oldest of nine children born to Dorothy Branch Thomas. Dorothy and her twins moved to Detroit, Michigan when they were just toddlers. It was undoubtedly here that her loving and nurturing personality was developed. She and her twin sister were given the responsibility to name and help raise each of their younger siblings. She attended Cass Tech High School and went on to nursing school as it was her nature to care for others. While in nursing school, she met Jimmie Burns who was to become her husband in 1965 and they moved to Chicago, Illinois. From this union her son, James Burns, and daughter, Lisa Burns-Norfleet were born. During her marriage, she was confirmed in the Catholic faith. She valued the Catholic faith and its education and helped to guide her children through the sacraments and sent them to Catholic schools. While she lived in Chicago, she attended mass at St. Bronoslavia Catholic Church. She became involved in faith based women’s groups like Women’s AGLOW. In her career, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in nursing and became a registered nurse. She spent the majority of her professional life as a public health nurse with the Chicago Department of Public Health. She conducted home visits to patients who were unable to get medical care otherwise. This work spoke to her innate need to care for others. She often forged friendships with her patients that extended past their care plan. Upon retirement from a successful nursing career, she and her twin sister decided to retire together in Bluffton, South Carolina. Sun City was to become her new home in 2003. Retirement gave her new life. She immediately found a church home at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church and joined a weekly singing group and bible study where she met new friends. She began going to the gym to exercise, joined a photography club and computer class and joined a group in the Sun City community called SWAP (Sisters With A Purpose). Living here in South Carolina were some of her happiest years. Evelyn went to take her seat in heaven on January 29, 2016. She was preceded in death by her younger sister, Terri Thomas, her parents, Willie and Dorothy Thomas and her twin sister, Carolyn Ann Todd. She leaves to cherish precious memories: her surviving six siblings, her son, James Burns, daughter, Lisa Burns-Norfleet (Perry), grandchildren, Teriah, Drake, Zachary, Bryan, Kaydence, her first great-grandson, Brenden and a host of relatives and dear friends.