Beverly Burris

With great sorrow, we announce the passing of Beverly Howell Burris of San Antonio, Texas on July 31, 2023. She was 92 years old. She was born on January 8, 1931 in Little Rock, Arkansas to parents Barnes Howell and Lillian Hand Howell. She moved to San Antonio at the age of 2 and from that point it was her home. She was a graduate of Jefferson High School. After high school, she attended Viriginia Intermont College, where her grandfather Julius Franklin Howell was a past president. She graduated with an associate degree. She completed her BA at Trinity University.

In 1952 she married the love of her life, Graham Lee Burris of Wytheville, Virginia. Theirs was a marriage of true partnership. Together they raised their three children, Linda, Sharon and Ed. They worked together, they travelled together, they enjoyed life together. They had 37 happy years of marriage before, sadly, he succumbed to cancer in 1989.

Beverly lived a life of service to her family, to her friends, to her church and to various charities. She made a mark on many lives. Even in her 92nd year, she still served as President of the Board of Trustees at her church, Covenant Presbyterian Church and as a member of the Stewardship & Finance Ministry Team at the church. She was an active member of Covenant Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. She was also actively a part of the Pilgrim Trust, a non-profit formed at the sale of the Westminster Square Apartments. This position arose from her previously being on the board of Westminster Square Charity.

She also committed untold ‘small’ kindnesses. For example, she sent countless cards to members of her church at times of celebration and loss. She phoned them to check on them and to show that she cared. With two friends, she helped new widows begin to navigate that painful path, beginning with a lunch about a month after their husbands died. And every year at Christmas, she gave her minister a gift card so that he and his wife could have a date night.

Her career path also demonstrated those same strands of service and partnership that ran through her life. After graduating from Trinity University, she worked as a first grade teacher. During this time, she began also working alongside her husband, Graham, in his business ventures, doing the accounting. Another partnership. After he passed away, she took on managing the entire business.

Beverly was a woman of great independence and strength. Her children hold the firm belief that the song ‘My Way’ was written specifically for her. Until her final weeks, she was still living unassisted in her own home. It was there she wanted to spend her last days and her family were fortunately able to grant her this wish. She died surrounded by family. There is no doubt that she will be tremendously missed.

She is survived by her three children, Linda Burris Webster, Sharon Burris Petrarca and Edward Howell Burris; her son in law Iain Webster, her daughter in law Dee Dee Davenport; her grandchildren Kyle Webster (and his wife Sian), Mara Webster, Chris Acosta, Kevin Petrarca, Michelle Petrarca, Jessica Jackson (and her husband Bobby and children Avery and Austin) and Jennifer Saville (and her husband Tyler and son Wyatt); her great grandchildren Austin Webster Patel and Rafe Webster Patel; and her sisters Jean Howell Harvey and Lisa Howell McLaughin.

A memorial service will be held at 10 am on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home, 1701 Austin Highway with a reception also at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. In addition, there will be a visitation on Monday, August 7 from 6 to 8, again at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name can be made to I Care San Antonio, Hope Way, San Antonio, Texas 78207 or to the American Cancer Society.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sunsetfuneralhomesa.com for the Burris family.