Arthur (Art) Morgan Burns, 79, passed away on April 2, 2024, at Hunt Regional Medical Center in Greenville. A Memorial service will be at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Creekside Church of Christ with Mr. Mark Wilhelm officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until service time at the church on Tuesday. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Coker-Mathews Funeral Home.
Art was born on March 9, 1945, in San Diego, California to Morgan Burns and Louise Barbuscia. Morgan was a Marine on IWO Jima when Art was born, he was not able to see Art until he was seven months old.
Art graduated from Princeton High School in Princeton, Texas, where he was a good football and basketball player. After graduation, Art went into the Marines and later into the Marine Reserves.
Art met the love of his life Gayle Wallace at Texas Instruments in Richardson, Texas. On February 10, 1968, the two were married in Greenville and began building a wonderful life together. Art was a captain for the Plano Fire Department in his early years. Later he left the fire department to begin a career in real estate in Greenville. Art was a member of the Million Dollar Club and loved selling land in Hunt, Rockwall, and Rains counties.
Art loved people and finding out all about them. If he met you once and saw you years later he could remember things about you. He had a million stories from growing up on the beach in California before he moved to Princeton and then he had lots of Princeton stories.
Art was a longtime member of Johnson Street Church of Christ which later became Creekside Church of Christ.
Art is survived by his wife Gayle, daughter Tanya Clay and husband Neil, son Brent Burns and wife Jenny, brothers Clete Burns and wife Pam, Joe Gonsalves, stepmother Martha Burns, brother-in-law Clint Wallace and wife Sandy, grandchildren Hailey Burns, Cooper Clay, Georgia Clay, Brooks Burns, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Art was preceded in death by his parents, sister Junette Mather, brother John Gonsalves, and two stepfathers.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of Arthur Burns.
The family would like to send a special thank you to Family First Hospice for all they have done for Art.