Donna Marie Burns

Born on July 10, 1943, in Bryan, Texas, Donna was the embodiment of strength, love and compassion. Donna graduated from Temple High School in 1961 and although she began her college career on a music scholarship, she found her true calling in nursing and received a degree in nursing from Central Texas College. Despite life’s challenges, she raised her 3 children, Louis, Julie, and David with unconditional love and determination. She instilled in them the values of hard work, kindness, and resilience. Donna lived many years in Lometa, Texas where she and her children attended Good Shepard Catholic Church. She lived in Temple, Texas during her last 20 years and was employed by Scott & White Hospital where she worked as a nurse until her passing.

Donna dedicated over 50 years to nursing, showcasing her unwavering commitment to helping others. Her career as a nurse not only reflected her professional dedication but also her innate desire to care for those most vulnerable and in need including babies, children and adults with disabilities, new mothers, the elderly and those incarcerated. Colleagues and patients alike admired her expertise and warmth, which made a lasting impact on the lives of many.

In addition to her work as a nurse, Donna also opened her home in Temple to many active duty miliary soldiers providing housing, food and love to those away from home and serving our country. Donna truly cared for her adopted soldier sons. Her generosity and kindness to others knew no bounds.

Her greatest joy came from spending time with her family and friends—hosting holidays, spoiling her grandbabies, and making sure everyone left her home with a full belly and a warm hug and heart. Donna loved music, especially old country, dancing, driving the backroads of Lampasas County and watching Hallmark movies. She was always game to make an Amazon purchase, make a fast food run or brag about her children and grandbabies on Facebook. Donna was always the first to help celebrate the successes or console the losses and disappointments of friends and families. Her legacy of love, faith, and resilience will live on in all who knew her, and she will be deeply missed.

She is survived by her children Louis Burns and spouse Laurie Burns, Julie Burns Morton and spouse Christopher Morton, David (Stud) Burns and spouse Shannon Burns, grandchildren Jack Morton, Reese Morton, Brady Morton, Kennedy Burns, Brynn Burns (her affectionate grandbabies), brother Thomas Nixon and spouse Debbie Nixon and many extended family members and dear friends. Donna was preceded in death by her mother Florence Nixon, stepfather Clifton Nixon, brother Dwight Nixon and ex-husband Walter Burns.

A visitation for Donna will be held Friday, June 27, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 8:00PM at Crawford-Bower Funeral Home in Temple, Texas. A funeral mass will occur on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Good Shepard Catholic Church, 411 W Main St. in Lometa, Texas. A private burial will occur at Our Lady Of The Rosary Cemetery in Georgetown, Texas. Memorial donations may be made in Donna’s memory to Operation Gratitude @ www.operationgraditude.com (reference recipient email of [email protected])