Carolyn Burns

Carolyn Kriss Burns After a long and courageous battle with cancer, Carolyn Kriss Burns of Manassas, Virginia, died June 20, 2011. She is survived by her husband Gerald P. Burns of the home, three children; Wendi M. Banther of Manassas, Kathleen M. Burns of Richmond, Daniel P. Burns of Gainesville, one grandchild, Haley Verrilli-Banther of Manassas, her father, Daniel W. Kriss of Gainesville and one brother, Raymond K. Kriss of Centreville. She was predeceased by her mother, Julia Kriss and her twin brother Danny Kriss. Carolyn was born in Arlington and raised in Herndon. She attended Radford University and began her professional career teaching physical education at her alma mater Herndon High School. In 1975 she made a career change by joining the Fairfax County Police Department. Carolyn served the police department honorably for a number of years until the demands of child rearing precluded both parents from serving in law enforcement. She remained associated with the police department on a volunteer basis and served as President of the Police Wives Club. She then returned to the teaching profession joining the Manassas City Schools as a physical education teacher at Grace E. Metz Middle School. Carolyn was known for many personal attributes, including her love of life long learning, her positive attitude, her faith, and her kindness to others. She successfully pursued advance degrees at Virginia Tech, changing disciplines to teach English, and was continuing to work toward additional advanced certifications at the time her latest illness was discovered. She was an eleven year Breast cancer survivor and supported research efforts to identify a cure for cancer. Carolyn was very active in and a former President of the Manassas Kiwanis Club and always sought to help other people. Her faith enabled her to remain optimistic that she could tolerate the treatments and overcome the latest bout with cancer. She was a Sunday school and Vacation Bible school teacher at her former church, Westover Baptist Church. She will be missed by many different communities. The family will receive visitors on Friday, June 24, 2011 from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. and 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. at Pierce Funeral Home 9609 Center Street, Manassas, VA, 20110 Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, June 25, 2011 at Grace Life Community Church, 9560 Linton Hall Road Bristow, Va. www.gracelifecc.org Interment will occur immediately following the service at Stonewall Memorial Gardens, 12004 Lee Highway, Manassas, VA In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to either Cure Pancreatic Cancer, Lustgarten Foundation, 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714 (www.lustgarten.org). or to support Kathleen Burns in the Susan G Komen, 3-Day for the Cure walk, (www.the3day.org) - link to "Donate to a Participant" - Kathleen Burns.

Carolyn Burns

June 5, 1951 - June 20, 2011