Nancy Alice Burns Bonner died peacefully, surrounded by family, on the evening of Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Hallmark Nursing Center in Denver, Colorado. She had recently celebrated her 99th birthday.
Nancy was born in Dallas, Texas on January 29, 1927, to John Henry Moses and Charlotte Alice Foley.
She was graced with two, long and meaningful marriages. She was married to Kenneth Morris Burns on March 25, 1945, in Shreveport, Louisiana, and they were married until his death in January of 1987. She then later married Douglas Gray Bonner of Shreveport, Louisiana, on February 7, 1997, until his death in July of 2018.
Nancy had a lively and passionate mind. After completing high school in Jena, Louisiana, she went to business school in Dallas, Texas. After marrying Kenneth, she took a break from formal education to pour herself into having a family and making a home. She had a deep love and commitment for her God and for her Church. She and Kenneth helped start Calvary Baptist Church and then were founding members of Bel-Air Southern Baptist Church – both in Salina, Kansas. For forty-two years she served in various roles at these churches. She was the church pianist, Sunday school teacher, and Youth Choir Director. Simultaneously, she taught piano out of the home, passing on her passion for music, and maybe mixing in a little religious instruction, to hundreds of students. In her fifties, she returned to school to pursue her degree in Music Education from Kansas Wesleyan University. Nancy moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, in late 1987, and soon found employment as the Music Teacher at Holy Rosary School. She also jumped into choir membership and Sunday School teaching at Highland Baptist Church, and then later, at First Baptist Church of Shreveport.
Nancy leaned into big dreams and was hardly ever intimidated by a challenge. She was a poet, a songwriter, a playwright and producer. Her great loves were contagious, and if you got too close, you were going to get drawn in.
Nancy took her greatest pride in her family and was a tenacious includer and protector of each member. She is predeceased by her eldest son, Stephen Morris Burns [Mary Goss]. She is survived by daughter, Cathy Lorena Burns Minton [James Lockhart Minton], and sons, John Philip Burns [Karen Krueger], and David Michael Burns [Holly Bartlett]. She is survived by a sister, Johnette Abigail Evans [Bill Evans], and a brother, Don Michael Moses [Janet Moses]. She is survived by step-children, Bonnie Kauffman [Richard Kauffman], Anne Jones, and Susan Aldredge [Jeff Aldredge]. And, she is survived by fourteen grandchildren, twenty-five great – grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Roselawn Heights Memorial Chapel, 1920 East Crawford Street, Salina, Kansas. A visitation will be held at 9:00 a.m. prior to the service.