Loranteen "Shirley" Burns Ritchie, 91, of Temple, formerly a longtime resident of Azle, passed away April 8, 2026.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 14 at Trinity Full Gospel Church in Belton, with a family luncheon to follow. Burial services are provided by Alexander's Midway Funeral Home, Springtown.

Shirley was born Oct. 17, 1934, in San Antonio to Wilson Joseph Burns Sr. and Dorothy Felicia Robicheaux, the fifth of seven children. Shirley became a devoted follower of Jesus at age 12, a commitment that shaped her life.

Known for her warm smile and joyful spirit, she shared her faith with everyone she met. She served with several ministerial organizations, most notably as a prayer intercessor and prayer team leader, believing God had called her to be a "watchman on the wall."

A longtime resident of Azle, Texas, she later moved to the Temple — Belton area, where she lived with her niece Roberta Lasly and Roberta's husband Rick. Shirley treasured her missions to Russia and China and her trip to Washington, D.C., for the Million Women March. 

She married John William "JW" Ritchie in 1952, and they shared 56 years of marriage until his passing in 2008.

She was preceded in death by JW and their sons, Michael James and Sterlin John.

Shirley is survived by her grandchildren CT, Lisa, Misty, and Doris; great-grandchildren Talis, Zander, and Grace; and a large extended family. She was the last surviving of the seven Burns siblings.