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Helen Burns, 77, an evangelist who sought lost souls

She visited prisoners in the city and suburbs.

Helen Burns
Helen BurnsRead more

HELEN BURNS was a searcher for lost souls.

She was an associate Baptist minister, but she didn't confine her search to the precincts of her church. She went into the outside world, where other sinners lurked.

And what better place to find them than prisons? She took her ministry to Graterford Prison, the George W. Hill Correctional Institution in Delaware County, and other facilities confining those who had made wrong choices in their lives.

Helen had an instinct for knowing where to find the people who were most in need of her brand of faith and spiritual uplift, delivered with her special compassion and love.

"She was a woman of faith," said her grandson, Tyrone Sturdivant. "She believed that if you lived right, prayed and trusted God, good things would happen to you."

Getting that message to prisoners, as well as regular parishioners and especially children, for whom she had special affection, was Helen Burns' mission on Earth.

She died Oct. 19 of complications of breast cancer. She was 77 and lived in Chester, although she was a longtime resident of North Philadelphia.

"Grandmom knew at the age of 19 that her calling was to preach the word of God," Tyrone said. "She served many years as an evangelist of God's word."

"Mom was open to being used by the Lord wherever the opportunity arose," said daughter Tonya Johnson. "She was determined to seek lost souls in all ways possible."

Helen even reached people she didn't see face to face through her radio broadcasts of spiritual messages on the "Midnight Cry" religious program on WTMR-AM out of Camden.

In addition to her evangelistic work, Helen was active in the community. She was a longtime licensed foster care parent in both Pennsylvania and New York, and served children with special needs as a "foster grannie" with the Delaware County Head Start program.

Helen was "family centered," said daughter Daphanie Bouwie. "She was happiest when family gatherings were held and she was surrounded by the children. She spread that love of children to others.

"Showing the love of God to children was a passion of hers."

Helen was born in Bennettsville, S.C., the second of the five children of Augusta McNeil and Willie Mae McKay-McNeil. She was educated in the public schools there.

After she married Lucious Burns in 1956, the couple moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., where she began her spiritual journey by becoming a licensed preacher at Trinity Faith Church.

After moving to Philadelphia in 1973, Helen was ordained under the late Rev. Isaac Sanders at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church where she became an associate minister.

Helen was also active with Foster Memorial Baptist Church as an evangelist in the Missionary Ministry.

"Mom was a student of the Bible and, over the years, engaged in programs of study," said daughters Stephanie and Sandra Burns. "Mom wanted to be prepared to handle God's word effectively."

After her husband's death in 2007, Helen worked as a private duty nurse for a nursing care agency.

"Mom worked hard to keep us all together," said daughter Rhoda Cannon.

Besides her daughters, she is survived by 15 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by two sons, Jerome McNeil and Eric Nash.

Services: 10 a.m. Saturday at Foster Memorial Baptist Church, 2401 N. 18th St. Friends may call at 8 a.m. Burial will be at Rolling Green Memorial Park.