John "Jack" Burns of Nutley died on August 1st after a brief illness. He was 93. Born to Francis and Mary Burns, nee Boland, in Scranton, PA on November 19, 1925, he and his twin brother William were the last of the couple's nine children.
Jack served on a Navy destroyer, the USS Taussig, during WWII. After the War, he worked in construction, building homes in Essex and Passaic Counties. Later, beginning in 1956, he began work as a Group Manager at Kresge - Newark. Following the store's closing in 1965, Jack worked as Department Manager at Gimbels in Paramus until the company closed. Afterwards, Jack was employed by William H. Connelly Insurance of Montclair as an Assistant to its founder.
Jack married Kathleen Duffy in 1960. She recently passed away in March. Jack and Kay, who were devout Roman Catholics, also shared a great love of music from the 1940s, diners, long Sunday drives, and visits with their siblings. Jack was predeceased by his eight siblings, Alice Tierney, Mae Tierney, Helene Golden, Mildred Craig, Francis, Paul, Robert and William Burns. He will be greatly missed by sons, John, Jim and Kevin, daughter Kathleen and her husband Greg Spreeman and his grandsons, William and Brice. A highly skilled woodworker, Jack made incredible pieces of furniture that were admired by many. He was an avid reader and swam daily for much of his life. Mostly Jack loved playing with his kids and grandsons.
A wake will be held at Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home in Kearny, Tuesday, August 6th, from 10am-11:45am followed directly by mass at Saint Stephens Catholic Church in Kearny at noon.