Mary Louise Burns

Mary Louise Burns was born February 10, 1924 in Crabtree, 
Pennsylvania to Rev. Walter Richards Shields and his wife, Beulah 
Clyburn Shields. She was the fourth daughter and the fifth of ten 
children born to that couple. When she was about six years old the 
family moved to the Mine 3/Mollenaur community of Bethel Park, 
Pennsylvania. Louise or “Lou” as the family called her, attended 
grade school there and graduated from Bethel High School in 1942. 
Following high school she married Luster Russell Clark. From this 
marriage they produced a son, Owen Lewis (Lee) Clark. 

 While living in New York City during the late 1940s and 
1950s Mary Louise worked as a telephone operator. She was also 
active for many years in the local Parent-Teacher’s Association and 
served as a volunteer participant with several community 
organizations dedicated to improving racial, religious and multi-
cultural relations in the New York City area. 

 Mary Louise returned to Pittsburgh with her son in 1959. In 
the early 1960s she met the true love of her life, Arthur Burns, Jr. 
They married in 1963, a marriage that lasted for more than 45 years 
until his death in 2009. Together they opened and operated the 
Southern Platter Restaurant & Catering Hall from 1970 until it 
closed in the late 1990s. During this period Art and Louise Burns 
were recognized as a couple notable for their involvement in 
business and local community affairs. The Southern Platter was a 
restaurant and catering hall dedicated to providing high quality 
food to its customers in a family style setting. 

 It was also about this time that Mary Louise assumed 
responsibility as the church secretary at Morningside COGIC. By 
the end of the 1960s she also took over the duties of financial 
secretary of the church overseeing and approving, under the 
direction of the Pastor and the Church Board, all aspects of the 
congregation’s business affairs. She continued to serve the church 
in these dual capacities, until her health began to fail in 2010. 
Because of her commitment to God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - 
and in recognition of her longtime service to the Morningside 
Church of God in Christ, Mary Louise Burns received honors as a 
Mother of the Church. Mother Burns was 93 years old when she 
quietly and peaceably passed from life on this earth into the 
heavenly and eternal embrace of God. 

 Besides her son, the Rev. Lee (Candace) Clark, Mother 
Burns is survived by her grandsons, Lt. Col Kevin (Cara) Clark , 
(US Army, Ret.) of Arlington, VA and Cedric Davison of 
Pittsburgh, PA; and her step-granddaughter, Tanya (Joe) Walas of 
Brentwood, PA; eleven great-grandchildren, and one great-great 
grandchild. She is also survived by her siblings, Dr. Willa M. 
Johnson of Atlanta, GA; Mrs Corryn Shaw of New York, NY; 

Deacon Walter C. (Vivian) Shields of Pittsburgh, PA; and the Rev. 
Lamont B. (Mary) Shields of Pittsburgh, PA; and by numerous 
nieces, nephews and other family members. She was preceded in 
death by her parents, Walter and Beulah Shields, and by her 
siblings, “Buddy” Shields; “Gerry” Clemmons; “Betty” Tillman; 
“Pat” Barnett, and “Nat” Shields. 

 May God grant Mother Burns rest from her earthly labors, 
and mercy, blessings and eternal peace within His heavenly 
embrace.