Carolyn Sue Burns

Carolyn Sue Burns, 92, of Perrysburg passed on to the heavenly realm in her sleep on November 3, 2024 at Kingston Residence of Perrysburg.  

Carolyn was born to Vernon & Voneta (Heer) Young in Toledo, OH on November 15, 1931. After graduating as valedictorian of her Senior Class of Pioneer High School in 1949, she attended the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1952. During this time, Carolyn distinguished herself and was awarded a 6-month scholarship to study obstetrics at Margaret Hague Hospital in Jersey City, NJ. Upon completing her post-graduate studies, Carolyn became a Clinical Obstetrics Instructor at the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing.

Carolyn was introduced to Kenneth Burns of Gibsonburg, OH (on a blind date) during her senior year of Nurses training in Toledo, and they were married in 1954.  Carolyn & Kenneth lived on a sequence of farms in the Stony Ridge, OH area, where they raised four children, along with sheep and various other animals.  A woman of great faith, Carolyn was an active member of St John’s Lutheran Church in Stony Ridge for over 60 years, where she assisted in Sunday School classes for 34 years.  She also volunteered at Wolf Creek Retirement Center for 15 years. She was tragically widowed in 1977, and her deep and abiding faith enabled her to persevere through this and other great life challenges.  Carolyn was able to find positive aspects in nearly any situation; and was always grateful for the many blessings of her life. In the last five years, she was especially grateful for the physical & social support that she enjoyed while living at Kingston Residence of Perrysburg.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Burns, and by her sister Charlene (Young) Faler.  She is survived by her four children:  Karen (Hal) Murray in Edenton, NC; Marvin (Karen) Burns in Millbury, OH; Gary (Ilene) Burns in Pittsburgh, PA; and Lisa (Jason) Swartz in Holly Springs, NC; sister, Bernadine (Young) Klump, (Adrian, MI); and eight grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.  

Family and friends will be received 9:00 – 11:00 Saturday, November 9, 2024 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 5520 Fremont Pike, Stony Ridge, Ohio. The funeral service will follow at 11:00am and will be officiated by Pastor Cindy Ritter. Carolyn will be laid to rest next to Kenneth in Troy Township Cemetery in Luckey, OH following the funeral service.  A luncheon will be provided at St John’s Lutheran Church following the internment.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials take the form of contributions to St. John’s Lutheran Church. Those wishing to express words of encouragement, share a memory or photo may do so at 

www.marshfuneralhomes.com