Mr. James Lester Burns

BURNS, Mr. James Lester - Age 79, passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at his residence. Family hour 1:30 PM Saturday, July 8, 2023, from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., with funeral services commencing at 2:00 PM. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the funeral home 1:30 PM Saturday. Mr. Burns will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home and may be viewed from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Friday. Mr. James Lester Burns Sr. was born on March 29, 1944 to the union of Wilmore and Marie Burns in Tohula, Mississippi, he was the eleventh of twelve children born to this union. The Burns family owned a cotton field where James and his siblings would help their father gather cotton after school. During his time James attended Elementary School and later Willowbrook Junior High School and Centennial High School in Compton, California. James was baptized at an early age, he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age. James started working as a young boy delivering newspapers. He would take his little sister, Sue 4 years younger than him and delivered papers on their bikes. James career with General Motors started at Van Nuys as a production line operator from 1963 to 1970. From 1970 to 1978 he worked as a production supervisor for the body metal department. Moving next to Southgate from September 1978-December 1981, James worked GMAC Southgate Plant as a Production General Supervisor Body Metal Department. James supervised six supervisors and one hundred and seventy-five hourly rate employees. James was definitely not a stranger to hard work when his job ended at the Southgate plant James, as always packed up and followed his job to Wentzville, Missouri, taking on a position as General Supervisor in the Metal Department. But James still had much more ground to travel. When James work came to an end in Wentzville, James had to continue on. James started work at the General Motors Lake Orion Plant in 1996, where he worked in the body shop, where he was a supervisor. Sometimes taking on being temporary General Supervisor. Wherever James was assigned, he gave one hundred percent. James long work journey eventually came to an end when his journey led him to Clarkston, Michigan in 1996, to General Motors Lake Orion where he would retire after forty-two years of service. James L. Burns, after making his last move to Clarkston, James Burns would meet and marry Norma Gray (Tipton) James L. Burns would meet and get married to Norma J. Gray on November 1, 2000. James gladly welcomed Norma’s son, Jerome Earnest, II and grandson, Kevondre Brown in the family. James was a faithful and devoted husband and father. In 2001 James became the legal guardian to Kevondre, raising Kevondre as his own son. He enjoyed being a father to Kevondre, he enjoyed Boy Scouts, Baseball and Basketball with Kevondre. He was very engaged with all things concerning Kevondre. Swimming was also enjoyed by both James and Kevondre. James loved each and everyone of his siblings and all of his extended family. He loved and enjoyed Biannual family reunions. He was always at every family reunion never missing. James was truly a man that loved his family, which was often shown through his love of cooking. James Lester Burns Sr. leaves to cherish his memory: wife, Norma Burns of Clarkston, MI; children, Brigitte Denise Burns and James “Second” Burns Jr.; step-children, Kevondre Brown and Jerome Earnest, II; grandchildren, Alexander James Burns Talley of Westminster, CA, Trinity Rene’ Burns and James Lester “Tre” Burns, III both of Long Beach, CA; sisters, Dorothy Gray of Compton, CA and Sue (John) Bowman of Las Vegas, NV; Edward (Olivia) Burns of MI; sisters-in-law, Irene Burns, Linda Solomon and Patricia Blade; brothers-in-law, Garfield Johnson, Earl Tipton and Jules Tipton; and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. James Lester Burns Sr. was preceded in death by his parents, Wilmore and Marie Burns; daughter Lisa Yvette Burns; 4 sisters, Emma Lou, Amanda, Ethel and Jean; 4 brothers, Wilmore Jr., Charles, Wilford and Milton Burns.

Mr. James Lester Burns

March 29, 1944 - June 27, 2023