Elizabeth Burns

Elizabeth Ann (Gawthorp) Burns, 55, of Grayville, Illinois, was born on January 18, 1962. Beth, as she was known to everyone, was the third child of Ruth Arlene (Mann) Gawthorp and Bert Wade Gawthorp, Sr. Beth gave birth to her only child, Justin Gawthorp, on December 5, 1977.  Beth had a brief marriage to Alvin Vogel, then a second marriage to Mark Shaw in the 1980's. Then, on December 31, 1994, she married the love of her life, Mark Burns. Their love last until the day that she passed away on, June 16, 2017. Beth worked most of her life as a cosmologist and she always believed that Jesus was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. She became a baptized believer when she was a young woman. Beth struggled from time to time but never forgot what she learned about the Love of the Lord.

Surviving are her husband, Mark of Grayville; her son, Justin (Tiffany) Gawthorp of Albion; four grandchildren, Dmitri (16), Temperance (10), Gracen (9), and Amadeus (7) Gawthorp, all of Albion; three brothers, Randall (Dawn) Gawthorp of West Salem, Bert (Summer) Gawthorp, Jr. of Oak Ridge, TN and Vernon (Belinda) Higginson of Mt. Carmel; three sisters, Sandra Wilson of Wayne City, Kelly Drum of Albion, and Theresa (Ted) Fisk of Grayville; her father's second wife and also a loving second mother who helped raise her, LaVerne (Gawthorp) Johnson of Mt. Carmel; along with 24 nieces and nephews and 27 great nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death are both of her parents, Ruth Arlene (Mann) Gawthorp and Bert Wade Gawthorp, Sr., two brothers-in-law, Jimmy Wilson and Roger Drum, several aunts and uncles on both sides of her family. Beth had many other close friends throughout her life, some who survive and others who went on to the next great adventure before her, and she loved them all through the good times and the bad times!

There will be an opportunity for anyone who wishes to visit with the family to be able to do so on Thursday, June 22, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Campbell's Funeral Home in Carmi, Illinois. Funeral services to celebrate the life of Elizabeth A. "Beth" Burns' will be on Friday, June 23rd, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Samsville, Illinois with Bobby Smith officiating. Burial will follow in the Ebenezer Cemetery, also in Samsville. Instead of sending flowers or gifts, the family has requested that memorial contributions be made in Beth's memory to Riley Children's Foundation, 30 South Meridian Street, Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46204 and will be accepted at Campbell's Funeral Home in Carmi, IL and those donations will be sent together after they have all been collected. The family would like to thank you for your prayers and acts of kindness.