Lillie Mae Louise Vines-Burns

LILLIE MAE LOUISE VINES-BURNS was born on January 30, 1945 to the late Sam and Josephine Vines in Wilson, North Carolina. She was the oldest out of nine children.

Lillie (or Sister), as she was known to her friends and family, attended Darden High School in Wilson, North Carolina in 1963. She came to New York during the 1965 and was shortly joined by her sister, Rosa and brother, Sam. They settled in Harlem, New York. She was employed with Verizon for over 31 years of dedicated service and retired in 1998. Sister was full of life and a fun loving person whose smile would light up the room, everywhere she went. Her generosity and kindness was always extended to all who crossed her path. She rarely denied anyone especially sharing her secret potato salad recipe. That was just her way. She loved her family very much!

She married Van Buren Burns in 1976 and they lived together in Bronx, New York for 44 years. Her loving husband, Van Burns, predeceased her in 2015. She leaves to carry her memory 1 daughter, Valeria Vines-Arthur, 1 son-in-law, Kenrick J. Arthur, 3 grandchildren, Shameeka, Destiny, and Kenrick Jr., 5 sisters, Rosa, Carolyn, Shirley (deceased), Deloris, Jennifer (decreased), and 3 brothers, Sam Jr. (deceased), Cecil, and Michael, 2 brother in laws, nieces and nephews as well as a whole host of family, friends, and loved ones.