William Ray Burns

Mr. William Ray Burns, age 83, a resident of Columbia, Tennessee, passed away Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Alive Hospice in Nashville, Tennessee.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 11:00 – 1:00 PM at Heritage Funeral Home. A memorial service will also be held on Saturday at 1:00 PM at the funeral home. He will be laid to rest in Jones Cemetery. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Born on September 20, 1941, in Maury County, William was the son of the late J.B. Burns Sr. and Rebecca Eskew Burns. He married his best friend and love of his life, Marjorie Whitaker and together they celebrated sixty-one years of marriage. He enjoyed farming, training bird and raccoon dogs, quail and raccoon hunting, gardening, fishing, and he enjoyed being social. William was a hard worker and instilled this value to his family. He enjoyed the simple things in life and loved having family over for fish fry’s. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Kenneth (Kim) Burns, daughter, Lori (Joe) Patterson, grandchildren, Amy (Thomas) Long, Ben Burns, Kyla (Avery) Nail, great grandchildren, Barrett Long, Laynie Long, Aubree Kate Nail, sisters, Catherine Choate, Jean Crowe, Margaret Billington, Linda Brown, Nephew, Jay Burns and other nieces and nephews, and best friends, Tony Hie and Harry Lunn.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his brothers, J.B. Burns Jr., James Burns, Robert Burns, sisters, Marie Cox, Dorothy Parsley, and best friend, Vinal Hensley.

You may share condolences with the family at the Heritage Funeral Home website: www.TnFunerals.com