Annette Florence “Florrie” Burney

AUGUSTA – Annette Florence “Florrie” Burney, after a period of declining health and spending her last few hours with her brother, Bill, passed away in the care of Vitas Hospice at Lee Memorial Hospital, Fort Myers, Fla. on Sunday March 15, 2026.

Annette was born in Augusta on April 6, 1942, to William D. Burney and Helen Nicholas Burney.

She attended Augusta and Litchfield elementary schools, Litchfield Academy, and graduated from Monmouth Academy in 1960 with high honors. Annette and Sylvia Niles played a piano duet at their graduation Class Day.

In her youth, Annette – or “Florrie” as Augusta locals called her – was very active at Penney Memorial United Baptist Church where she was baptized. She participated in the many youth programs there such as Baptist Youth Fellowship and Pioneer Girls, attending summer Camp Cherith in Southern Maine.

But her true love was singing, playing the piano and learning to play the organ. She was so skilled that the Penney leadership gave her a key to the church’s rolltop organ so she could practice.

She was accepted into Boston University’s School of Fine and Applied Arts. There she majored in organ music. Annette sang in the Boston University Glee Club and the Boston University Choral Union, which toured the U.S. and Canada. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree by giving her graduation recital on the organ of Boston’s historic Arlington Street Church.

She became the long-term organist at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Dorchester, Mass. In the early 1970s, she returned to Penney as the guest organist, to accompany an octet from St. Mark’s and her mother, Helen, as they performed a program of Negro spirituals.

During her career, Annette also held several administrative secretarial positions with organizations such as Housing Innovations, the Boston University Medical Center, and law firms Hale and Dore in Boston, and Fisher and Sauls in St. Petersburg, Fla.

She was a talented seamstress and enjoyed traveling the Caribbean, a culture she was introduced to by several Boston families with connections there.

Annette’s transition from small town college girl to big city professional woman was helped immensely by long term Boston friends of the Burney family such as the Thomas Family and friends, as well as her first cousin, Joe Burney, who attended BU with her before joining the U.S. Army.

Annette filled her free time with her love of Operatic music by attending opera performances where she met famed opera Soprano Leontyne Price. She also joined the historic Handel and Haydn Society Chorus, with which she sang Handel’s “Messiah” at Boston Symphony Hall.

This avocation also helped meet her thirst for travel as she sang with the noted Boston Jubilate Chorale, traveling to perform in music festivals in Yugoslavia, Austria, Italy, the former Soviet Union, and Denmark as well as a performance in Carnegie Hall in New York with the Boston University Chorus.

She would always say how much she enjoyed listening to Robert J. Lurtsema, the morning classical music host on Boston public radio.

Our maternal and paternal families and friends will be forever indebted to Annette for her diligent collection, curation, and assembly of thousands of pictures, news clippings, event memorabilia, condolence cards, and travel items into a voluminous library. She even created a newsletter for one of our family reunions.

When she became weary of the Boston winters she moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., allowing her to be warm and close to her dear friend, Denis. They enjoyed traveling, attending opera performances, and living on the Gulf.

Annette worked at the Fisher & Sauls law firm, joined The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay for its London tour, and went to Disneyworld (on more than one occasion!) with her niece, Blaire. On one such trip she was proud to see and hear Blaire perform at Disney with Cony High School’s Madrigal Singers.

Annette was predeceased by her parents William D. Burney and Helen Nicholas Burney.

Annette is survived by her brother, William “Bill” Burney and wife Lynne of Augusta; and her niece, Blaire Burney of Washington, D.C. She is also survived by her maternal aunt, Bessie Nicholas Riley of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who at the time of Annette’s passing was approaching her 112th birthday, making her the third oldest living person in the State of New York and the sixteenth oldest living person in the United States. Annette is also survived by many cousin branches of the Burney/Nicholas family tree.

Annette’s final place of rest will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in Augusta. A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 15 at 11 a.m. at Penney Memorial United Baptist Church, 393 Water St., Augusta, followed by a reception at the church.

Arrangements and guidance are under the direction of Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 1 Church St., Augusta. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family by visiting the Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home website at http://www.KHRFuneralHomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family has established a Music Memorial Fund at Penney Memorial United Baptist Church in loving memory of Annette “Florrie” Florence Burney and Helen Nicholas Burney. Gifts to this fund will support and enhance the church’s music ministry, reflecting their deep love for worship and music.

Those wishing to honor their memory may make

a donation at:

https://penney-memorial-united-baptist-church-494718.churchcenter.com/giving

or make a cash or check donation noting the

“Burney Music” fund.