Obituary of Gerald Burns (1932 – 2021) – Bristol, CT

Gerald “Gerry” Burns, 89, of Bristol died Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at John Dempsey Hospital. Gerry was born in Yonkers, NY on September 10, 1932, the son of the late Lawrence and Mildred (Delahanty) Burns. Married to his lovely wife Barbara (Dayton) Burns for 68 years, he arrived in Bristol at the age of 8, graduated from St. Joseph’s School and Bristol High School. There he played football and co-captained the team in 1952 with his good friend Joe O’Brien. Gerry was a member of the American Legion baseball team in Bristol in 1949, the first of many Legion State Championship teams in Bristol. He was an avid sports fan and a CT State football official for over 18 years. He was the founder and first president (9 years) of the Bristol Midget Football League where he influenced many young people in Bristol. Gerry served in the United States Army during the Korean War and is a member of St. Joseph’s Church. He worked as a salesperson for David Soda Dispensing Company for many years. He was a member of the Elks Club and the American Legion of Bristol. Besides his wife, Gerry is survived by his three children, his sons Ronald Burns and his wife Lynda of Bristol, Thomas Burns and his wife Diana of Westbrook, and his daughter Geri Ann Bradley and her husband Rick of Punta Gorda, FL . These 3 great couples presented “Poppy” with her greatest treasures six grandchildren, Kaitlyn Burns, Riki (Bradley) Strait, Shaun Bradley, Juli (Bradley) Marozzi, Callie Burns and Casey Burns and her 3 great grandchildren , Isla and Shea Strait and Olivier Marozzi. He was predeceased by his brother Lawrence “Phatz” Burns and survived by his sister Patty Terry of Kileen, TX, and his brother Charlie Burns of Clearwater, FL. He loved music, tennis and everything Irish. To know him was to love him. A Christian Burial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday October 16, 2021 at 11 am at St. Joseph Church 33 Queen Street, Bristol. Interment, with military honors, will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Bristol. Call hours will be Friday October 15, 2021 at the Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave. Bristol between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the 4 Burns Scholarship Fund c / o Main Street Community Foundation, PO Box 2702, Bristol, CT 06011-2702 or St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Queen St, Bristol, CT 06010, or Bristol Boys and Girls Club, 255 West St, Bristol, CT 06010 or have a drink and toast to Gerry “The Gem”. Please visit Gerry’s Memorial website at www.FunkFuneralHome.com