Beth T. Burns was born November 30, 1916 on her parents homestead located five miles northeast of Hilland, South Dakota, the daughter of Douglas and June (Louison) Thieman.

She grew up on the homestead and attended rural school and Philip High School.

Beth was united in marriage to Robert M. Burns on July 28, 1936 at Custer, South Dakota.

They made their home on a farm near her parents in the Hilland community, which they operated until December 1950. They moved to Rapid City in 1950 and in 1951 moved to Lead, South Dakota, where she worked as a waitress at various places. In July 1966 the family moved to Renton, Washington where they lived until moving to Philip in December of 1969. While in Philip, Beth worked out of her home as a seamstress until retiring in September 1999.

Her husband Robert M. Burns preceded her in death on June 10, 1972.

Beth moved to Lead South Dakota in September of 1999.

She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church of Deadwood and a former member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Philip, where she was a charter member of the LWML. She was also active with the Bad River Senior Citizens of Philip.

Grateful for having shared her life are her two sons, Robert D. Burns and his wife Karen of Lead, SD, John D. Burns of Key West, Flordia; three daughters, Roma Denman and her husband, Edward of Bagdad, Arizona, Carrole St. Michael and her husband, Ronald of Douglasville, Georgia, and Arla Fenner and her husband, Jim of Couer D’Alene, Idaho; twenty-one grandchildren; forty-seven great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; a son-in-law, Wayne Mahaney of Desert Aire, Washington; a sister, Evelyn Anderson of Rapid City, and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to her husband, Robert M. Burns, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Janice Mahaney; five grandchildren; her parents; two brothers, Kenneth and Ira Thieman; and two sisters, Eunice Swisher and Helen Thieman in infancy.

Funeral services for Beth T. Burns age 84 of Lead, S.D. and formerly of Philip, S.D. was held 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 29, 2001 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Philip with Pastor Don McKillop and Pastor Gordon Goldammer officiating.

Visitation was held on Thursday June 28, 2001 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:000 p.m. and on Friday June 29, 2001 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Rush Funeral Chapel in Philip and 1 hour before the services at the church on Friday.

Interment was in the Masonic Cemetery in Philip.

A memorial is established to Grace Lutheran Church of Deadwood or Our Redeemer Lutheran Church of Philip.