Obituaries

Oscar "Ray" Burns

Photo of Oscar "Ray" Burns
Mr. Oscar Ray (Ray) Burns, 85, of Beebe, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, April 18, 2013 at White County Medical Center in Searcy. Mr. Burns was born June 20, 1927, in Bethlehem, Arkansas to Luther Dedrick (LD) Burns, Sr. and Eva Mae Horton Burns. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Patty Lou Mongold Burns of Beebe; two daughters, Annette Burns Savage and husband Fred of Maumelle, and Patricia Marie Burns of Cabot; one brother, Otis Leroy Burns of Beebe; one grandson, Jeffrey Allen Savage, M.D. and wife Mindy of Bentonville; one granddaughter, Leah Katherine Burns of Cabot; and three great-grandchildren, Abby, Emma and Hayden Savage of Bentonville; brother-in-law Kelly Jones; sister-in-law, Opal Burns, both of Beebe; and numerous nephews and nieces. Ray graduated from Beebe High School in 1947, where he was a pole vaulter on the Beebe Badger track team. He attended Draughon Business School and Henderson State University, where he graduated with a degree in chemistry in 1957. While attending school in Arkadelphia, Ray worked as a radio engineer at KVRC Radio in Arkadelphia, and also taught a men's Sunday school class for prospective ministers at 2nd Baptist Church in Arkadelphia. After graduation, Ray and his family moved to Crossett, Arkansas, where he was employed as a chemist for Georgia Pacific Corporation. The family moved to Magnolia, Arkansas in 1969 where Ray became the head of the laboratory at Ethyl Corporation. He remained in that position until his retirement in 1992. After retirement, Ray and Patty moved to Beebe, where they have resided for the last seventeen years. His grandson called Ray a "fixer"...he thought he could fix anything...and most of the time he succeeded. Stubborn, persistent, headstrong, and resilient to the end...Ray, we are going to miss you, and we love you. Family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe. Funeral will be 10 a.m. Monday, April 22, 2013, at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by Westbrook, a Smith Family Funeral Home. www.SmithFamilyCares.com.

Published April 20, 2013

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