Rosemary Morris Burns

Rosemary Morris Burns, 86, wife of the Rev. Carl V. Bretz, died July 6, 2009 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. A native of Oklahoma she earned degrees at University of Oklahoma, Wellesley College and Augusta College (GA). She also served in the Women’s Army Corps. She was married to David Markland (Mark) Morris and the couple had three sons. Mark died in 1975, soon after the death of their eldest son, David. She then married John H. Burns. That marriage ended in divorce. Rosemary was a psychotherapist until her retirement in the mid 1990’s. A devoted UU for 65 years, she served in many capacities in local churches, wherever she lived, and was a leader in the Thomas Jefferson District of the UUA. She represented TJD as a UUA Trustee briefly in the mid-1970’s. In her leisure time she enjoyed swimming and playing tennis and golf. In 1994, Rosemary married Carl Bretz, whom she had met the year before at SUUSI and with whom she lived happily for the rest of her life. Rosemary is survived by Carl and her sons, Bruce and Charlie Morris, by two grandsons, a daughter-in-law and two stepchildren, a brother-in-law, and two nieces and a nephew.