George M Burns March 13, 1927 December 1, 2019 Funeral services for Mr. George M. Burns will be Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at Bodkin Funeral Home in Milan, TN. Visitation will begin at 9 am followed by the service at 11 am with Rev. Steven Fonville officiating. Burial will follow at Gibson County Memory Gardens with military honors. Mr. Burns was born March 13, 1927, in Lonoke County, Arkansas to Ferris Odell Burns and wife, Bertha Franklin James Burns. His family moved back to Carroll County, TN when he was a small boy. Much of his childhood, during the depression years, was spent working the fields with his father using a mule and plough. He also helped his mother with his younger siblings: Myra, Mary, and Donald. As a teenager, George and his family moved to Milan, TN. After graduating from high school, he began working for the Illinois Central Railroad. George served his country in the Navy during WWII and was stationed in the Philippines. After returning from the war, he returned to his job at the railroad and moved for a brief time to Birmingham, Alabama. It was in Birmingham, at church one Easter morning, that he met Sara Katherine Kennedy. Smitten by this young lady, he proposed and they were married the following January, almost 71 years ago. George graduated from UT Martin, is a 68 year member of the St. Johns Masonic Lodge #332, and also a member of the VFW and the American Legion. He was a longtime member of Medina First United Methodist Church. George was an out-going, sociable person who loved people, and he was a bit of a jokester. George always had a smile on his face and a kind heart. For nearly all of his 92 years, he lived a full and active life. Retired from the railroad, George also spent decades as an auctioneer, a real estate broker, and owner of Gibson County Memory Gardens. Through his many business ventures, he made numerous friends. Everyone seemed to love "Mr. George"! Mr. George is preceded in death by his parents, Ferris and Bertha Burns; two sisters, Myra Callis and Mary Tedford; a brother, Donald Burns; a daughter, Katherine Nelms; an infant son and a great-grandaughter, Kennedy Cates. George is survived by his wife, Katherine Burns; a son, Robert Burns and wife Belinda. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren, Bethany Fritz (Tim); Bobby Burns (Jennifer), Patrick Burns (Edith); Carly Herrera (John); Angela Cates (Eric); Linda Garner (Tylier) and Christie Allison. He is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren. Pallbearers are Bobby Burns, Patrick Burns, Tim Fritz, Marshall Burns, Trip Fritz, and John Herrera. Memorials may be sent to the Medina First United Methodist Church building fund. Funeral Service Bodkin Funeral Home Wednesday, December 04, 2019 11:00 AM 2000 South 1ST Milan, Tennessee 38358 Visitation 9-11 AM