Thomas G. Burris

HUDSON, N.H. -- Thomas G. Burris, 71, a past Exalted Ruler of the Tewksbury-Wilmington Lodge of Elks, died yesterday, June 28, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston after a brief illness. He was the beloved husband of Marilyn A."Mal" (Lapham) Burris, with whom he would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary today, June 29.

He was born in Lowell, on Jan. 24, 1936, the only child of Maxwell and Emily (Marsh) Burris. He was raised in Tewksbury, and graduated from Tewksbury High School in 1957. He lived in Tewksbury the greater part of his life before retiring to Hudson, N.H., in 1989.

Mr. Burris remained a communicant of St. William Parish in Tewksbury throughout his life.

He served in the Navy during the Korean War era, and was honorably discharged as a machinist's mate 3rd Class. He had served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Wasp for his sea duty.

He founded the T.G. Burris and Son Plumbing & Heating Company in Tewksbury, which remains active and family-owned under the new name, Burris Plumbing and Heating Company.

Mr. Burris was well-known within the Elks community for his tireless devotion to the Elks organization. He served as Exalted Ruler of the Tewksbury-Wilmington Lodge 2070 from 1972 to 1973, and had held every position of officer within the lodge during his long career. He was especially active in the Elks National Foundation and had attended many national Elks conventions as a delegate from Massachusetts.

He was also a former member of the Father Coppen's Council, Knights of Columbus in Tewksbury, and the Tewksbury Veterans Association.

Besides his wife, he is survived by four children, Theresa "Terry" Smith, Kevin T. Burris and his wife Inga (Fosse) Burns, Barbara Baker and her husband David, all of Hudson, N.H., and Patricia Dascoli and her husband Michael of Tewksbury; his mother-in-law, Ida Cann of Tewksbury; a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Marsha and Arthur Sawin of Lowell; 10 grandchildren, Emily and Jason Smith, Ian and Matthew Burris, Rachel Baker, all of Hudson, N.H., Erin Collinge and her husband Nathaniel of Tyngsboro, Kevin Burris, Keith Burris, Deanna and Michael Dascoli, all of Tewksbury; two great-grandchildren, Kalli-Rose and Kaelyn; and several nieces and nephews.