James Clinton "Clint" Burns, Jr.

James Clinton (Clint) Burns Jr.

08.23.1967- 06.24.2025

Beloved Son, Husband, Father, Papa, Friend, and so much more.

    On Tuesday, June 24th of 2025 at 12:10p, our sweet daddy entered into the presence of Jesus. My precious mom and sisters and I all held his hands as his soul left us for a season. Saying see you later, as sweet a gift as it is, is harder than I ever imagined it would be.

    I’ve never encountered someone more excited about heaven than daddy. When he talked about Jesus, his face lit up like a firecracker. His spirit oozed the goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and fire of our Lord. The work of the Holy Spirit in dad’s life was so evident in how he genuinely and whole-heartedly loved the Good Shepherd and His sheep. Dad loved God’s word with loyalty and passion. He loved to study, learn, meditate, and talk about our Heavenly Father and the Kingdom of Heaven. I really can’t imagine the look on his face when he realized he was there for the very first time and for all eternity. Wow. Every room daddy walked into and every conversation he was a part of, he made sure Jesus was the center of it all. His life was and is a constant reminder of why we are really here and how this world is not our home. He truly lived everyday like it was his last, and he was able to remain in the moment with no fear for the future.

    Daddy was a man who deflected praise and gave it to whom all praise belongs as long as I’ve known him. He always said that Jesus is the source of all things; all we have, all we are is because of Him. One of his favorite acronyms he came up with (even had little rubber bracelets made as reminders) was POP.. “Praise Over Pride.” He knew that pride in any capacity would suffocate any true blessing. Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” This is just one of many lessons that daddy taught us by the way he lived his life. He knew he was a vessel for the Holy Spirit. He knew his life was but a vapor- James 4:14. He knew why he was here and who he was here for. He knew where he was going, and he could not have been anticipating that blessing more.

    Daddy was the definition of FUN! It’s as if he invented the word. His laughter could fill a room like nothing else. He made sure his family never missed a moment to celebrate and truly have a good time together. He loved to hunt, fish, golf, ride four wheelers and dirt bikes (especially with his grandsons), play tennis with mama, waffle house dates with mama, work with his hands, and so much more. Daddy was one of those people that was simply good at anything and everything. He would never say that, but we all knew it! He was an exceptionally hard worker with a heart eager to learn, always. I’ve never met someone with a greater spirit of generosity and humility than daddy. He viewed his life in that if God gave him anything, it was his duty, privilege, and honor to share it all with others. If you needed a shirt, he’d give you twenty. If you needed a friend, he’d be yours for life. If you needed anything, you could guarantee he’d always show up. As long as I’ve known him, he really lived as the hands and feet of Jesus. I am forever grateful for his Kingdom of Heaven impact on our lives and on this world.

    Daddy was the best husband to our sweet mama. Their marriage was truly a beautiful gift to witness. This year would be 33 years of marriage. I loved their commitment to God and to each other, their love and respect for one another, and their love for the simple things in life and just enjoying them together. What a gift it has been to learn from such an incredible union. Thank you, Jesus. Daddy absolutely loved family. He loved mama so very much; his very best friend in the entire world. He loved his girls and he loved his grandsons. Every time we were together, he took time to redirect the focus of our family to the Lord and His kingdom and praise God together. He was the very best at this, and I’m forever grateful.

    Daddy was a wonderful papa. I can’t begin to list all of the things I’m grateful for and the many prayers God answered through watching him be a papa to his grandsons, but wow. He spent so much time with them. Teaching them, playing with them, laughing with them. He taught them so much about being a Godly man, about being a leader, loving people, humility, faith, and so much more. He was one of a kind. I love that I get to see his legacy live on in those boys, and I pray every day that God would raise them up in the footsteps of the Godly men who have gone and who go before them, especially their papa. One of his and the boys’ favorite verses is James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift comes from above..” They said it to each other every time they were together followed by a fist bump and bear hug. ;) We will continue to praise God and honor Him in every season, every conversation, every moment– just like he did. Daddy’s ability to give every moment to God no matter what that looked like never ceases to amaze me.

    Daddy, thank you for the patriarch that you’ve been for our family and for the legacy you allowed God to build through you. You have left us with a magnificent faith, spirit of humility, and love for the Lord to follow and that is something that will never leave us. I pray we honor your life and your legacy until the day God calls us home. You were and always will be one of our greatest gifts and we cherish the time and memories God has so graciously given us together. Thank you for truly living a life as a man after God’s heart and for living every moment with the Joy of the Lord.

    Daddy loved worship. He loved it and he lived it. In the last few weeks in the hospital, the boys came to see him and he asked me to play one of their favorite songs together. He sang it as best he could in that hospital bed, and he truly lived these lyrics my whole life until his very last breath.

“Lead on, Good Shepherd I’ll follow all my days

There ain’t nothing sweeter Than to watch you make a way

You’ve walked me through the valley But you never steered me wrong

So lead on Good Shepherd Lead on”

    He made a way and He lead daddy home. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for the gift of him, here and for the gift of him, for all eternity. Thank you to our perfect, heavenly Father for your love even greater than this. His grandsons have been singing these last few weeks, “The Cross has the final word. Sorrow may come in the darkest night, but the Cross has the final word.” Thank you, “Papa” for teaching them this truth. It sure does have the final word.

    Finally, Daddy’s favorite story was Mark 4:35-41 when Jesus speaks to the storm and calms it. His disciples were so afraid even though Jesus was right there in their midst. He spoke to their storm and challenged their faith. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” God spoke to daddy’s storm and calmed it. “Peace, be still.” There is no greater gift than watching him leave his suffering here and enter into hope, healing, and most of all.. the presence of God. Psalm 41:3, “The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.” Praise God! He always keeps His promises.

Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forever more.”

Matthew 28:20, “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We will see you soon, daddy. And what a day that will be! Love you always,

Your girls