Jeremy Burris

Services for Jeremy Lee Burris, 46, of Coalgate are 2:00 p.m. Thursday, February 25, 2021 at the Coalgate First Baptist Church with Bro. Jim Lewis officiating. Burial will follow at Round Lake Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery.  Family Night will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Criswell Funeral Home Chapel.

Mr. Burris died Sunday, February 21, 2021 at a Durant hospital. He was born July 29, 1974 in Talihina to Doris Ann Burris.  His mom had many helping hands in raising him, aunts and uncles and grandparents who all loved him as their own.  As he grew, so did the number of cousins which surrounded him.  The family attended Round Lake Cumberland Presbyterian Church regularly along with other church events in Choctaw Presbytery including bible schools, rallies, and camps.  Jeremy was always proud of his Choctaw and Cumberland Presbyterian roots.

Jeremy graduated from Olney High School in 1992 with 7 other class members.  His time at Olney was a special time, and teachers and classmates remained close to Jeremy throughout his life.   In his teenage years and after graduation he worked at Epperson Funeral Home.  He also took some classes at Murray State College during that time.  Jeremy ended up attending Bethel College in McKenzie, TN, a Cumberland Presbyterian college, in efforts to have an adventure and play a little baseball.  Unexpectantly, he ended up making lifelong connections with many friends and meeting his future wife while at Bethel.  He received his Bachelor's Degree in 2004.  During his time in college he continued to stay connected with the funeral business.  Upon his return to the Oklahoma he returned to the funeral business full time at Epperson Funeral Home which soon became Brown's Funeral Service.  He decided to continue education which he felt was his true calling and become a licensed funeral director and embalmer so he enrolled at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service graduating in 2005.  During his year of attending school in Dallas, he was welcomed into the home of Jack and Regina Golden, a dear couple in Jeremy's life.  He spent this year doing a lot of studying and eating a lot of meals around the Golden's table.  Their incredible impact on his life could never be measured.

While working out in the weight room with the baseball team, a work study student, Joy, caught Jeremy's eye.  Almost four years later on November 19, 2005, he married this Tennessee country girl, Joy Anna Money, in the college town where they first met.  A year later Jeremy proudly told everyone about the upcoming arrival of their first child.  In May of 2007 they proudly welcomed their first son into their family, Jett Michael Burris.  Jeremy was an absolute natural with this little guy.   Two years later, Jett became a big brother and the family was excited to add Jase David Burris as a new addition.  Jeremy's nieces and nephew, Brenden, Shyla and Serenity were always so special to him and he claimed them as his own.  In 2019 the Burris/Ludlow family experienced a great loss when Jeremy's younger sister, LaJuana, went to Heaven.  Serenity, her youngest daughter, came to live with the family at this time which only made their household feel more whole.  The family has remained active members of Coalgate First Baptist Church, which only extended their incredible family.   Jeremy lead bible studies with youth, was a sponsor at church camps, planned youth trips, organized community events, played the drums and guitar in the praise band, and on occasion, he even shared his singing voice.

Watching his kids play ball brought him so much joy, and he often shared their accomplishments with others.  Sports were always a big part of Jeremy's life whether it was playing on a team or just recreationally.  OU football and Texas Rangers have always been a topic of discussion at the Burris household.

His favorite past time was music, in any form or fashion.   He enjoyed listening to music, playing music, and most of all, going to concerts.  He loved going to concerts with the ones he cared for.  His love for music was incredible but spending that time with his brother, wife, cousins or friends while enjoying live music was always the ultimate evening.

Jeremy had a serious demeanor but quickly made connections with people often cutting up with family, friends and co-workers.  His laugh was contagious.  Jeremy's passion for servicing others as they laid their loved ones to rest was his calling, and even when he tried other career paths, they were short lived because he always returned to serving other's in this way.  He even served as Vice President for the Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association.  At the end of his life, Jeremy had returned to a position working full-time as a funeral director at Criswell Funeral Home in Ada, Oklahoma.

Survivors include his wife, Joy, of the home; two sons, Jett Michael and Jase David Burris, of the home; his mother, Doris Burris, Coalgate; brother, Dennis Ludlow, Tupelo; nieces and nephews, Brenden Lee Jackson, Tupelo, Shyla Alexandria Rae Jackson, Tupelo and Serenity Renee Hope Jackson, of the home along with numerous family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his step-dad, Floyd Ludlow; sister, LaJuana Ludlow; nephew, Andréas Ludlow; maternal grandparents, Rev. Lee and Mildred Burris; uncle, Donnie Ray Burris; and cousin, Jamie Lynn Burris.

Bearers will be Christopher Ludlow, Philip Magby, Chad Ratcliff, Jeffrey Roebuck, Trenton Harry, Jeffrey Burris, Trevan Jimboy and Keith Thunderbull.  Honorary bearers will be Dennis Ludlow, David Rice, Jett Burris, Jase Burris, Daniel Money, Michael Money, Jorge Soto, Brenden Jackson, David Burris, Noah Burris, Joshua Burris and Joseph Burris.