Gerald “Gerry” Burns, 89 of Bristol died on Tuesday, Oct. 12, at John Dempsey Hospital.

Gerry was born in Yonkers, N.Y. on Sept. 10, 1932, and was the son of the late Lawrence and Mildred (Delahanty) Burns. Married to his lovely bride Barbara (Dayton) Burns for 68 years, he came to Bristol at age 8, graduated St. Joseph 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 1949 Bristol American Legion baseball team, Bristol’s first of many Legion state championship teams.

He was an avid sports fan and a Conn. state football official for 18+ years. He was a founder and first president (9 years) of the Bristol Midget Football League where he influenced many Bristol youth. Gerry served with the U.S. Army during the Korean War and is a member of St. Joseph Church. He worked as a salesman for David Soda Dispensing Company for many years. He was a member of the Elks Club and American Legion of Bristol.

In addition to his wife, Gerry is survived by his three children, his sons Ronald Burns and wife Lynda of Bristol, Thomas Burns and wife Diana of Westbrook, and his daughter Geri Ann Bradley and husband Rick of Punta Gorda, Fla. These three great couples presented “Poppy” with his greatest treasures six grandchildren, Kaitlyn Burns, Riki (Bradley) Strait, Shaun Bradley, Juli (Bradley) Marozzi, Callie Burns, and Casey Burns and his three great grandchildren, Isla and Shea Strait and Oliver Marozzi. He was predeceased by his brother Lawrence “Phatz” Burns and survived by his sister Patty Terry of Kileen, Texas, and his brother Charlie Burns of Clearwater, Fla.

He loved music and tennis and all things Irish. To know him was to love him.   

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Church 33 Queen St., Bristol. Burial, with military honors, will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Bristol.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, Oct. 15, at Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave. Bristol between 4 and 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may 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 Gerry “The Gem.”

Please visit Gerry’s memorial web-site at www.FunkFuneralHome.com.