Dorothy H. Burns

Posted on June 11, 2021

Dorothy H. Burns, 90, passed away at her home surrounded by her family on June 8, 2021, in Perry.

Dorothy “Dot” was born Sept. 11, 1930, in Meridian, Miss., to the late Dewey Lee Harper and Florence Pickett Harper.

Mrs. Burns was a Baptist and a member of First Baptist Church of Perry.

She was a graduate of Vimville High School in 1948, where she was a star basketball player.

Dorothy graduated from Anderson Infirmary School of Nursing in 1951. She later passed the Mississppi State Board and became a registered nurse, and quickly found work with the Lake Shore Hospital in Lake City, where she met the love her life, Joe P. Burns Jr.

She also worked at the V.A. Hospital in Lake City.

She and Joe were married in 1951. They moved to Perry in 1954 and established Joe P. Burns Funeral Home of Perry.

Dorothy worked for a short time for Dr. John Parker, the Taylor County Health Department and also at Doctors’ Memorial Hospital, before working with her husband at the funeral home and beginning their family of four children.

She was a former member of the Order of Eastern Star, a current member of the Perry Woman’s Club, and was an avid bowler and bridge player.

And last but not least she and Joe were Florida Gator Boosters for many years and traveled to all the football games at home and away. Go Gators! Go Gators! Go, go, go!

She was preceded in death by: her husband of 54 years, Mr. Joe P. Burns Jr.; her son, Joe P.“Joey” Burns III; her niece, Bea Burns Taylor, whom she raised as a daughter; her three sisters, Luetta Harper, Jewel Shirley and Jennie Mayatt; four brothers, Dewey L. ‘Bud’ Harper Jr., Harold Harper, Levelle Harper and Jimmie Harpe; and a stillborn baby boy.

Mrs. Burns, “Granny Dot,” is survived by: her children, Bonnie (Joe) Glover of Tallahassee and Barbara Jo Burns and Morgan W. Burns, both of Perry; her brother, Benjamin C. Harper of Meridian, Miss.; special nephews, John and Jay Taylor of Virginia Beach, Va.; three grandchildren, Ryan (Betsy), Cara (Luke) and Gray; and six great-grandchildren, Terri Jo, Emily, Keira, Uriah, Jonah and Harper; as well as a host of nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 12, at 2 p.m. at Burns Funeral Home of Perry with Brother Danny Lundy officiating. Interment services will follow immediately afterward in Pineview Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, from 1-2 p.m., at Burns Funeral Home of Perry.

Flowers are welcome or donations to your favorite charity, NAMI or Big Bend Hospice.

All arrangements are under the direction of Burns Funeral Home of Perry.

Friends may sign the online guest book at www.joepburnsfuneralhomes.com.