Shrewsbury – Kenneth F. Burns, 69, of Shrewsbury, died peacefully Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016 at home, surrounded by his loving family.
He leaves behind his devoted wife of 29 years, Maryellen (Kennedy) Burns, and his four beloved children, Alysa Lofstrom and her husband David of Kingston, Kenneth Burns and his wife Gaby of Worcester, Bridget Burns and her boyfriend Joseph Kelly of Worcester, and Molly Gonet and her husband AJ Gonet of Shrewsbury. Ken also leaves his five grandsons, Benjamin, Luke, Jacob, Ethan, and Caleb, whom he adored more than anything. He also leaves his brother, William Burns of Nevada, and a sister-in-law, Elaine Burns. He also leaves many loving relatives and friends. He was predeceased by a brother, James H. Burns Jr.
Kenneth was born in Worcester, son of the late James H. Burns Sr. and Muriel (King) Burns, and lived in Worcester for many years before moving to Shrewsbury. He attended South High School and Leicester Junior (Becker) College, where he was an avid basketball player and was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
He enlisted in the United States Army in 1968 and was proud to serve his country during the Vietnam War in the 101st Air Borne Division as a Medic. He was a recipient of a Bronze Star for his service.
He was a member of the Church of St. Anne, and was also a member of the Disabled American Veterans.
Ken retired in 2007 after working 35 years for the United States Postal Service. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, especially his grandsons and granddogs. He was a sports fanatic and also enjoyed the beach, and family vacations to Maine and Rhode Island. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.
Kenneth’s funeral will be held Saturday, Oct. 1, from the Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation St., Worcester, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in the Church of St. Anne, 130 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury. Calling hours will be held Friday, Sept. 30, from 5-7 p.m., in the funeral home. Interment will be in St John’s Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to Veteran’s Inc., 69 Grove St., Worcester, MA 01605.
To leave an expression of condolence or share a special memory of Kenneth, visit his memorial site at www.mercadantefuneral.com.
