Ora Virginia Burns

Psalms 84:10

Ora Virginia Branch Burns was born February 26, 1927 at Washington, DC’s Freedman’s Hospital. She was the youngest of three children born to the late Thomas A. and Deaconess Augusta A. Branch. She quietly departed this life on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Under the leadership of Reverend J.L. Henry, Ora was baptized at age 8 and became a member of Tenth Street Baptist Church in October 1935. She joined the Junior Usher Board at age 8 and by age 18, she moved up to the Ladies Auxiliary Board, which is now the Senior Usher Board. She loved being an usher and was a faithful member.

Many offices were held and run efficiently by Ora – Assistant Counselor to the Junior Usher Board, Financial Secretary, Finance Committee Member, Budget Committee Member, Bulletin Committee Member, and Chairperson for Reverend Durant’s Eighth Anniversary Celebration in 1996.

On January 1, 1973, the late Reverend J.T. Jennings joined her in Holy Matrimony to the late John H. Burns, Sr.

Though she was very active in many areas, her true passion was ushering. She always said that God called her to usher. The call was truly answered by her continued and dedicated service from 1935 to the present.

Ora has been a member of the Junior Choir, under the guidance of Sister Addie Kemper, the Eveready Gospel Chorus, the Women’s Choral Ensemble, and a former member of the Shining Star Club.

She has served her Pastors, Church, Clubs, and Organizations faithfully and kept up her financial obligations. Ora loved the Lord and her church.

Ora was preceded in death by her sisters, Florence E. Hunter and Lena R. Branch; nephew, Thomas A. Branch; nieces, Selma L. Branch and Barbara Hines-Randolph.

Cherishing her memory are her nephew, James Branch (Bonita); her nieces, Freida Branch, Cassandra Harris (Edward), Reverend Jacqueline Nelson, Minister Bettie Williams, and Theresa Branch Gray (Tony); great niece Sheila May (James). There is also four generations of nieces and nephews as well as an extremely large number of friends.

Mother Burns, rest well, for your life’s journey has been quite eventful and fulfilling for yourself and everyone you have touched along the way. To say you will be greatly missed would be an understatement.

A visitation for Ora will be held Thursday, June 5, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Tenth Street Baptist Church, 1000 R St NW, Washington, DC 20001. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow services at Fort Lincoln Cemetery, 3401 Bladensburg Rd, Brentwood, MD 20722.