Dannie Lee Browning Burns
December 6, 1919~March 12, 2005
Memorial Service ~ March 15, 2005 ~ First Baptist Church, Vernon Alabama

I Did Not Die
Do not stand at my grave and forever weep.
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and forever cry.
I am not there. I did not die.

The pages, right, →
are part of the memorial presentation given during Dannie Lee's Memorial Service at the First Baptist Church. Click on the image to see a screen picture of the document ~ document text is included below each page.

Memorial Service March 15, 2005 ~ In honor of our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother, Sister and Friend

~Top Right: Dannie sits with her classmates on the steps of the Millerville Elementary School.

~Bottom Left: Dannie joins classmates for Millerville High School senior class picnic .

~Top Right: Great Grandmother, Dannie Lee, with Erin Paige Colvin, second daughter of Chamblee Colvin, her first grandson. Taken in 1999.

~Bottom Left: Grandmother Dannie Lee with grandchildren, Joseph Daniel Benson and Rachael Kathleen Benson, son and daughter of Mimi Benson, taken on a visit to Smithville, New Jersey in 1999.

"Card of Thanks" as published in the Lamar Democrat

The daughters of Dannie Lee Browning Burns wish to thank the many friends who offered sympathy, comfort, prayers and guidance to us during our time of bereavement. We are especially grateful for the support Vicki Burns received from her employer and co-workers at Marathon Equipment Company during our Mother’s illness and passing.

The LLL Club was a source of friendship and joy for our Mother. LLL members graciously provided lunch for our family and visiting relatives on the day of mother’s Memorial Service and in keeping with mother’s devotion to her church, made a donation to the First Baptist Church Building Fund in her name.

We wish to thank The First Baptist Church Pastor Kevin Devine for his generous spiritual guidance and heartfelt words of praise during mother’s memorial service. Our beloved neighbor, Sue Allen, eloquently recalled fond memories of her fifty-year friendship with our mother. Mother’s life-long love of music was glorified by Sue’s son, Bill Allen who sang two beautiful songs. We wish especially to thank the congregation of The First Baptist Church for generously opening their doors for this ceremony. We are eternally grateful the congregation allowed mother to use these doors, for one last time, to fulfill her life-long dream of living with Jesus.

Our beloved neighbor, Marilyn Storey, closed her fifty-year friendship with Mother by providing endless compassionate support for us throughout the week following Mother’s passing. Even though some of us no longer live next door to Marilyn, she will always be a neighbor in the truest sense of the word. 

The beautiful plants and flowering shrubs given in mother’s honor will remind us of her love of nature for years to come. In lieu of flowers, many individuals and Marathon employees donated funds to the Lamar County Humane Society in memory of our Mother, a life-long advocate for the humane treatment of all of God’s creatures.

We are blessed with a community of neighbors and friends, to numerous to name, who offered their prayers, condolences and delicious meals. We will eternally treasure and appreciate each and every act of loving kindness given during our time of bereavement. We hold dear the knowledge our mother lived and passed in the arms of a loving community.

Vicki Burns
Mimi Burns Benson
Brenda Burns Sample

Scan of "Card of Thanks" which was published in the Lamar Democrat after Dannie Lee's Memorial Service.