WE WANT TO MOURN THE PASSING OF OUR BELOVED MOTHER AND FRIEND SONIA (SUNNY) BURRIS WHO PASSED FROM THIS WORLD ON NOV. 9TH TO BE WITH HER HUSBAND JAMES LEONARD BURRIS WHO PROCEEDED HER IN GOD. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER LOVING SONS, TYE JAMES BURRIS AND CURTIS BRIAN BURRIS. SHE LEAVES BEHIND THREE GREAT FRIENDS, JACKIE MCCAIN, LINDA UPTON AND CAROLINE FRAIZER WITH WHOM ALL WAS POSSIBLE. SHE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY HER CHERISHED GRAND CHILDREN SKYE ROSE BURRIS AND JAMES DYLAN BURRIS AND HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW LYNNE MARGUARITE DEWARDNER
BURRIS.
SUNNY WAS BORN IN THE HOUSE SHE GREW UP IN ON OCTOBER 16, 1933 IN BRANT, MICHIGAN TO HER PARENTS ERVIN AND MAE CARSTENSEN. SHE HAD AN OLDER BROTHER, CALVIN, ALL WHO HAVE PRECEEDED HER IN DEATH. OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL SHE JOINED THE AIR FORCE AND WAS STATIONED IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE SHE MET HER HUSBAND OF 41 YEARS, JAMES.
AFTER AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE SERVICE WITH AN USAF METAL AFTER HER HOSPITAL ASSIGNMENT, SHE AND JAMES LOCATED TO MEMPHIS WHERE THEY HAD THE TWO BOYS. IN 1961 THE FAMILY RELOCATED TO JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI PURCHASING A HOME IN WEST JACKSON. A THIRD CHILD, JAMES DONALD WAS BORN THERE AND DIED A FEW DAYS AFTER BIRTH. AS THE KIDS WERE GROWING UP SUNNY WAS A STAY AT HOME MOM WHILE HER HUSBAND WORKED. JAMES WAS A FLYING ENTHUSIAST AND THE FAMILY ALWAYS HAD AN AIRPLANE IN THE GARAGE, NEVER A CAR. SUNNY WAS A HUGE SUPPORTER OF HIS HOBBY AS LONG AS THE WHOLE FAMILY WENT TO THE AIRPORT TOGETHER.
AFTER THE BOYS LEFT FOR COLLEGE AND WERE ESTABLISHED IN THEIR CAREERS, SUNNY AND “BIG JIM” TEAMED UP WITH SEVERAL PRIVATE PILOT FAMILIES IN THE LATE ‘80’S AND PURCHASED A FORMER COW PASTURE BETWEEN POCAHANTAS AND FLORA, MISSISSIPPI WHERE THEY FORMED A CORPORATION TO RUN SLOBIVIA AIRPORT, A PRIVATE GRASS
STRIP WHERE EVERYONE BUILT THEIR HOMES AND HANGERS TO KEEP THEIR AIRPLANES.
WHEN “BIG JIM’ DIED IN 1997 SUNNY CONTINUED TO LIVE ON THE PROPERTY INDEPENDANTLY FOR 21 YEARS UNTIL A RECENT MEDICAL CRISIS REQUIRED A STINT IN CLINTON HEALTH CARE REHAB CENTER. THIS IS WHERE SHE PASSED PEACEFULLY IN HER BED AFTER A FANTASTIC MORNING VISIT FROM HER SON CURT AND DEAR FRIENDS CAROLINE, LINDA AND JACKIE.
WE MOURN HER PASSING AND WILL MISS HER LOVING SENSE OF FAMILY AND CRUCIAL SUPPORT TO EVERYONE WHO NEEDED IT. SHE WAS UNSELFISH, FUNNY AND SMART. SHE WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH IN JACKSON AND LATER AT HOLY SAVIOR CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CLINTON WHICH SHE ATTENDED RELIGIOUSLY.
GOOD BYE MOM. ALWAYS LOVED AND NEVER FORGOTTEN. WE WILL HOLD DEAR THE LESSONS YOU TAUGHT US AS A MOTHER, AUNT, DAUGHTER, SISTER, WIFE AND FRIEND. YOUR KIND IS HARD TO FIND AND DOESN’T COME ALONG EVERY DAY. LOVE FOREVER.
