Emily Dance Burgin

Emily Dance Burgin, a member of First Baptist Church of Jefferson City, passed to her heavenly reward on January 10, 2014, at her residence in Jefferson City, Tennessee. She was 83 years of age. She is survived by her husband of over 56 years, John, sons and daughters-in-laws John Jr. (Jack) and his wife Catherine, James (Jimmy) and his wife Kenya, Jeffrey (Jeff) and his wife Jeannie, as well as by her brother James B. Dance, John’s sister, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Northern, grandchildren Abigail Hardt and her husband MacKenzie, Cade Burgin, Laina Burgin and Dalus Burgin, together with several nieces and nephews. Emily’s parents, Ira (the original Carson Newman “Fighting Parson”) and Edna Dance, and sisters Iris Elliot and Miriam with her husband James “Bud” Reasons, preceded her in death. Emily was a talented pianist and organist, serving several churches in Monroe, Louisiana in that capacity. She accompanied numerous classical and modern performances at the piano, including for her son Jack’s horn recitals. She served as the music librarian at the University of Louisiana at Monroe Department of Music and authored a series of articles on piano technique for the Church Musician. Emily held a B.A. in piano from Carson-Newman College, a M.M. in piano from George Peabody College, and an M.M. in organ from the University Of Louisiana at Monroe. She loved to travel with her family and instilled in her sons a love of music and the outdoors, frequently picnicking with her sons and their families in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Emily was also a tireless and accomplished genealogist, having spent decades extensively researching the Dance and Burgin family histories as far back to the 1600’s and in assisting a number of other families in researching their ancestry. As chair of the history committee of the First Baptist Church of Jefferson City, she fostered the restoration of the Mossy Creek Cemetery. There will be a graveside service at the White Pine Cemetery, on Monday, January 13, 2014, at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation to the Ira and Edna Dance A Cappella Endowed Scholarship at Carson Newman via http://goo.gl/wJN69M