Cecelia "Ceil" Burns

Cecelia Mae Burns, age 89, of Willmar, passed away Thursday evening, Feb. 11, at her residence following an extended illness.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Assembly of God Church in Willmar.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.   Interment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to the missions program at the A/G Church.  The funeral service will be live streamed on the Peterson Brothers FaceBook page.  Arrangements are with Peterson Brothers Funeral Home. www.petersonbrothers.com

Cecelia was born on June 22, 1931, in Mapleton, Minnesota, the daughter of Arnold and Lydia (Olson) Nienow.  She grew up and attended school in in Mapleton until her junior year of school when the family moved to Wells where she graduated from Wells High School in 1949.  On November 23, 1949, Cecelia was united in marriage to Robert N. Burns and made their home in Wells. They later moved to New Ulm where Robert worked as a State Farm Insurance agent and Cecelia worked as Bob's administrative assistant.  Upon Bob's retirement in 1995, they wintered in Palm Desert, CA. for several years prior to moving there full time.  Following Bob's death in 2012, Cecelia later moved to Florida to be closer to her son, Steve.  In November of 2016, she moved to Spicer and later to Willmar living with her daughter, Deb.  Cecelia attended the A/G Church in Willmar.  She enjoyed dancing, golfing, water skiing, reading, and playing card games, (especially bridge and whist).  The last four years she enjoyed the time spent with family, especially her great grandchildren!  Whether it was bundled up watching a football game, or in the hot sun watching baseball, if the car went to an event she was there!  More than her family was her love for her Lord.  She was a prayer warrior and loved to learn all that the Lord had for her!  Her last days included visions of heaven and long talks with Him!

She is survived by her children, Robert (and Laurie) Burns of Stillwater, Deb (and Steve) Ostlund of Willmar and David (and Masami) Suga of Mendota Heights; eight grandchildren, Nicole (Blake) Wold, Angelina (Wayne) Rudningen, Chad Burns, Brett Burns, Todd Burns, Jonathan Burns, Rachel Ostlund, and Koji Suga; and eight great grandchildren, Dylan, Isaac and Logan Rudningen, Makenna, Taylor and Addison Kelley and Kaitlin and Eli Wold.  Also surviving is one sister, Lois (and Carl) Magnell of Woodbridge, VA., and a sister-in-law, Marge (and Lane) Tenney of Arlington, VA., besides other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert in 2012; one son, Steven in 2016, and one brother, James Nienow.