Lawrence E. Burns Jr., 59, of Elkhart, passed away on Friday, July 31, 2020 at East Lake Nursing and Rehabilitation in Elkhart. He was born in South Bend, IN on August 26, 1960 to the late Lawrence and Bonnie (Miller) Burns Sr.

Lawrence is survived by his sister, Tammy (Steve) Takacs; brother, Randy (Deborah) Burns; nieces and nephews, Clarence Allbaugh, Ashley Endres, William Flock, Jeremiah, Abby, Brandon, Courtney, Devin, and Dani. He is preceded in death by his parents and his nephew, Dallas.

In accordance with the family's wishes, cremation was chosen and will take place at Billings Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 812 Baldwin St. in Elkhart. A celebration of life gathering will take place at a later date.

Lawrence was a very friendly and outgoing man who never let his disability control his life. He had been paralyzed since his mid-twenties but remained active as an athlete. Lawrence played wheelchair basketball, racing, and competed in many marathons. He loved each one of his nieces and nephews and enjoyed spending time with them whenever he had the chance. Lawrence will be missed greatly by his loving family.