Arthur Gene Burris, died peacefully on Monday, December 8, 2014 in Irving, Texas.
Born October 17, 1934, he was the son of William Railey Burris and Katherine Marie McKeon Burris. Gene graduated from Ennis High School in 1953 and worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad starting on September 16, 1953 and remained there his entire career, retiring January 1, 2000 as locomotive engineer on the Union Pacific Railroad. He was a Mason and a member of the Ennis Lodge #369 where he entered Apprentice on 9/22/1959; Fellow Craft 10/27/1959; Master Mason 11/24/1959; received his 50 Year Service Award on 8/5/2009; and served as Senior Steward for Masonic Year 1963-64.
Preceded in death by his parents; brother, William Railey Burris, Jr.; and sister, Basha Naydne Burris Valek, he is survived by his wife, Helen Jan Burris; daughters, Debra Jean Gilmore and husband Jimmy of Seguin, Texas and Janet Burris Papson and fiancé Barry Stockton of Seguin, Texas; granddaughters, Amy Tait and Brandi Knapp and her husband Jerry Knapp; grandsons, James Joseph Gilmore and his wife Amber, Andrew Gene Papson and his wife Maranda, Bradley Joseph Papson and Brandon Charles Papson and his wife Lacey Delong; great grandsons, Brandon Charles Papson, II, Skyler Michael Papson, Archibold Samuel Papson, Walter Bruce Papson, Landon James Gilmore, Zachary James Tait and Trent Hinshaw Papson; his daughter at home, pet, Lola Burris.
Visitation will be 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Friday, December 12, 2014 at Donnelly’s Colonial Funeral Home, 606 West Airport Freeway in Irving.
The funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday in the funeral home chapel. Entombment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Fort Worth.
