Robert (Bobby) Lee Burrows

June 5, 1932 - January 22, 2016

Important things we learned from Bobby Burrows (our father/grandfather/husband):

•You can never tell those you love how much you love them too many times

•Remember to tell your children you are proud of them…frequently

•If you are going to hug, make it count

•Don’t hesitate to kiss your wife, children and grandchildren…a lot

•Be faithful and loyal to the one you marry

•Greet everyone with a big smile

•Get up early and work hard

•Never be afraid of good, hard work

•If you are going to do it, give it your best

•Know your state capitals, NC counties and the county seats…seriously!

•Live lightly, love largely and enjoy music

Bobby loved relationships. He loved his family and he loved his friends…he loved the Lord…little else mattered in comparison.

With Bobby, you always knew where you stood. He was a strong and gentle man. He was quick to give “the best hugs” and he showered his family with warm and loving hugs and kisses.

Born in Asheboro, North Carolina in 1932 to Nolan and Dorothy Burrows, Bobby had one older sister, Gilda Funderburke of Salem, Virginia, who predeceased him. He was a noted three-sport athlete for the Asheboro Blue Comets. Upon his commitment to play football with Duke University, the local newspaper read: “From Blue Comet to Blue Devil.”

At Duke he was an All American standout guard on both sides of the ball in leading Duke to conference championships in the 1952-1953 and the 1953-1954 seasons. . He also earned All Conference honors in both his junior and senior seasons. He was selected by his teammates as Duke’s Most Valuable Player in his senior year. Upon graduation from Duke, he was drafted by the Detroit Lions. In 1993, Bobby was elected into the Duke University Sports Hall of Fame.

Bobby served in the Air Force and was stationed at Shaw Air Force base in Sumter, South Carolina. While in Sumter, he met his future bride of 59 years, Jeanne Lawson. They were married in 1957 and moved to Raleigh later that year. Bobby had a forty-year career with Southeast Container Corp and its various successor companies.

Bobby enjoyed and excelled at golf. He enjoyed spending time gardening and he loved spending time at the coast with his family.

He is survived by his wife Jeanne Lawson Burrows and their two children Lauren Burrows Lane of Raleigh, NC and Lee Burrows and his wife Sunny and their three daughters Margaret, Mary Lawson and Adelaide Burrows all of Atlanta, Georgia; his nephew Rick Funderburke of Roanoke, Virginia and his niece Kim Woolwine of Salem, Virginia; nephews John Lawson of Irmo, South Carolina, Perrin Lawson of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; Alex Lawson of Greenville, South Carolina, and Bland Lawson of Columbia, South Carolina; nieces, Jeanne Lawson Williams of Greenville, South Carolina and Mary Eadon Lawson Robinson of Lawrenceville, Georgia; sister-in-law Bobbie Hartsfield Lawson of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Rutledge Lawson and Caroline Burrows Lawson of Greenville, South Carolina.

Bobby died on Friday morning in his home surrounded by his wife and children after a two-year battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26, 2016. The family will receive friends at the Fellowship Hall in the church following the service.

The family requests donations, in lieu of flowers, be made to The Well Building Fund at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, 2209 Fairview Road, Raleigh, NC 27608.

Funeral arrangements are being made by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary's St., Raleigh.