Blanche Eloise Chandler Burns, 90, passed away surrounded by her loving family in
Shreveport, LA. She was the widow of Charles Ray Burns with whom she was married
to for 43 years.
Blanche was born in Choudrant, LA., the youngest of five children born to Elijah and
Ola Sanders Chandler. She grew up on the family farm in Lincoln Parish, in the Louisiana Peach Capital region. Blanche loved to tell stories and during WWII she wrote letters to her brother’s unit in the U. S. Marines telling them of home and life on the farm. Blanche graduated as Salutatorian at Choudrant High School and then attended The Shreveport Charity Hospital where she graduated in 1950 as a Registered Nurse. Her career spanned 47 years until she retired in 1996 from the Caddo Parish Health Unit. She took great pride in her work as the head Tuberculosis Nurse for Caddo Parish who ministered to many patients with TB and was always able to pass her TB test. Blanche was instrumental in helping to pass the $2.5 million dollar bond issue of 1991 that enabled citizens of Shreveport to gain a larger and newer health facility for all citizens to enjoy better quality of health. She was kind, caring and a loving person who always smiled in the face of any situation that crossed her path. She enjoyed telling jokes, cooking, crafting, and above all spending time with her friends and family. Her family was her greatest joy, she taught her children one of the greatest gifts of life, how to love one another unconditionally. Her commitment to her family and community is her indelible legacy.
She is survived by her sister: June Grant. Her Children: Ronald R. Burns, Brenda O’Brock (James), Barbara King, Charlene Williams (Gary), Link Burns (Tannie), and Lynette Filiano. Her Grandchildren: Andy (Kelly), Josh (Courtney), and David (Mariah) Burns, Sarah Kendrick (John), Kenneth and Barret O’Brock (Marelle), Amy (Demetrio) , Coleman, and Jennifer King, Sharla Wilkerson, Kevin Williams, Stephen Morgan, Heather Abney, Miranda Deaton, Brittany McPherson (Josh) and Dylan Filiano (Brittany). Her Great-Grandchildren: Amy, Kessa, Reily, and Jack Burns; McKinley and Joshua Burns, Jr., Arthur and Eloise Kendrick, Archer Burns, Victoria King (Jose), Bella Botello, Sofia and Brittany Wilkerson, Otto and Arlo McPherson, and Cameron Filiano. Her Great-Great Grandchildren: Jose “Junior” Mendoza and Levi Wilkerson and a host of nieces, nephews, family members and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Elijah and Ola Sanders Chandler, her husband of 43 years, Charles Ray Burns; her siblings Donald Chandler, Maxine Farmer, and Elaine Boyd. Her Grandchild Michael Brent O’Brock; and one Great-Grandchild Demetrio Botello III.
The family would like to offer special recognition to Lynette Filiano, the youngest of the six children, for her dedication and care to our mother during her later years. Mother overcame many health issues during this time including ovarian cancer at 83, and then COVID and pneumonia earlier this year.
The graveside services will be held at Centuries Memorial at 8801 Mansfield Rd, Shreveport, LA., 71108on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 1pm with a memorial gathering afterwards at the home of Jim and Brenda O’Brock, 248 Lake Point Drive, Shreveport, LA., 71109.
Memorial donations / in lieu of flowers can be sent to 248 Lake Point Drive, Shreveport, LA., 71109.
