Lee Dessie Burney

Home going celebration for Mrs. Lee Dessie Burney who passed on October 17, 2017 will be held on Saturday October 28, 2017 at 11 a.m. at 34th Street Church of God, 3000 N. 34th Street, Tampa, Florida with Bishop Thomas Scott officiating. The internment service will immediately follow the funeral at Blount & Curry Garden of Memories Funeral Home and Cemetery located at 4207 E. Lake Avenue Tampa, Florida 33610 at 1:30p.m. Mrs. Lee Dessie Burney is the daughter of the late Mr. Alexander Milton and Susana Twiggs Milton. She was born on June 18, 1919 in Madison, Florida. At the tender age of seven, she was placed in the care and custody of her grandmother Eliza Hall Twiggs after her mother’s death. She attended the public schools of Madison County and later completed her General Education Diploma in Hillsborough County. She professed Christ as her Lord and Savior at a young age at JesLamb A.M.E Church in Madison, Florida where she met and married Hilrie Kemp, Sr. at the age of 17. They eventually migrated to Tampa, Florida. They had three children. She became a widow at an early age. She later remarried Mr. Sam Burney and to this union five children were born. They remained happily married until Sam Burney’s death December of 1983. As a young adult, Lee Dessie met Mother Young who was her mentor and the catalyst to influence her decision to become a member of 22nd Street Church of God, later renamed 34th Street Church of God. Here, she became a long standing member and began a legacy of four generations to this house of faith that includes her children, grandchildren and great- grands. She served dutifully and faithfully in various capacities. She has been a member of various offices in the church, i.e.; Choir, President of the Usher Board, Deaconess, Mother, and lastly The Guiding Light Ministry. Mrs. Burney had impeccable work ethics and her philosophy was, “You must take care of yourself first and include God in everything you do.” Her employment career included field work as a youth, 27 years as a licensed beautician, fifteen years with the City of Tampa and ten years of employment with the King’s Kid Christian Academy. Upon retiring, she spent time visiting her children in Colorado, California and Ft. Lauderhill. In addition to that, she annually attended the National Ushers Convention for years. She later became a volunteer via AARP where she was first assigned to work at the Tampa Police Department and later to Project Link where she became a volunteer employee effective June of 1995. She was featured in the Link Community Spotlight at the young age of 83 for her outstanding service commitment as a Volunteer Employee and work in the Parent Education Center. Mother Burney truly touched the lives of others. She excelled in her craft as a beautician and used her ministry to beautify the crowns of many women to lift their self-esteem. She nurtured others through her extraordinary culinary skills, modeled discipleship, demanded discipline and brought laughter and joy through her feistiness, quick wit, humor and direct candor. She was preceded in death by both spouses; her sons, Sammy Lee Burney and Reginald Warren Burney, her siblings, T.J. Milton, Mary Dukes, Johnnie Mae Milton, Clementine Milton and daughter- in- laws, Dorothy Davis Kemp and Bertha M. Kemp as well as her close friends, Mothers Helen Dorsey, Charlie Mae Best, Marjorie Sledge and Sister Elice Sledge. She leaves to cherish her loving memories: her children Hilrie Kemp, Jr., Alton Louis Kemp, Ruda Mae Triggs, Alan Keith Burney (Juanita), Regina Burney Amerson and Ronald Burney. Daughter- in law (Brenda Burney) 13 grand- children; Valrie Kemp-Davis, Hilrie Maurice Kemp, Terry Alton Kemp, Paula Kemp Holland(Ronald), Hillary Kemp-Sweeny, Samorreyan Burney, Sharran Nicole Burney, Alan Keith Burney(Jumoke), Faith Burney, Ashley Burney,(their mother, Janell Burney), Deanna Burney Bulmer(Remus),Deona Burney Branton(Isaac), and Riney Amerson, Jr.,adopted grandson, Victor Whaley aka Duke, a host of great- grandchildren, and sister, Juanita Branom; Special friends Mothers Gladys Whaley, Evelyn Laster, Illa Kennedy, Peggy Fredericks, Alva Rivers, Mary Best, Zelma Copeland, Lenora Brady, Susie Milner, Grace Campbell, Jessie Mae Parks and Mildred King, Goddaughter, Mother Eleanor Jones along with and a host of loving relatives, devoted friends and the dedicated and committed staff at Fairway Oaks Nursing Center and the Life Path Hospice Gold Team. The viewing/wake will be held Friday October 27, 2017 at 34th Street Church of God from 5p.m.-7pm. Friends are asked to assemble at the church at 10:40a.m. for the funeral service.