Gerald M. Burns

1938 - 2025

Gerald Miller Burns, 86, of Monroeville, passed away on Saturday, April 5, 2025, peacefully surrounded by his family. Born on Nov. 2, 1938, in Chambersburg, PA, to the late Jesse and Kathryn (Miller) Burns. Gerald, 'Jere', grew up in Chambersburg with his eight siblings and had a love of fun or trouble if you asked his mother. He had a passion for baseball, racing, and football. He often told the story about how he both led his team to the game before the Little League World Series and lost it in the same. He spent countless times at the racetrack watching his brother, Bob, race until he was old enough to get behind the wheel and make it a hobby he shared with all generations in his family. But you could say football led him to meet the love of his life. He was playing a game with friends when one of them told him about a new family with three beautiful Italian girls that had moved into town. That was Aug. of 1955, and the rest is history. Jere fell in love with Geraldine, 'Gere', one of the three sisters, and they were married on Sept. 12, 1959. Together they had three children, Geraldine (Deanie), Robert (Bobby), and Rusty. Jere's love for baseball and football carried on as he coached his boys' teams for many years. The family settled in Monroeville, PA, where Jere worked as a heavy equipment operator and mechanic alongside his father-in-law, Sam, for The Buncher Company, where he retired from in 2006 and passed the job onto his son, Bobby. Jere and Gere, as they were fondly known by most, spent their lives traveling, whether it was to the annual Burns Family reunion in Chambersburg, out west, or down to Florida, where they were 'snowbirds' for several years. But their true love was with their family; whether it was ice hockey games, chorus concerts, dance recitals, or band competitions, Pap and Gramma were always there to watch and cheer on their grandchildren. Their love carried on into their eight great-grandchildren, whom they loved to watch play at Caledonia every year during reunion weekend.Jere is survived by his wife of 66 years, Gere; three children, Deanie (Jay) Burns, Bobby (Gina) Burns, and Rusty (Lucy) Burns; five grandchildren, Sam (Cassie) Walter, Elizabeth Kubit, Charlene (Brian) Dellinger, Nicole (Shawn) Owens, and Kelli (Ian) Gralewski; and eight great-grandchildren, Christian, Luke, Austin, Marissa, Isaac, Derek, Sammy, and Wyatt. Jere was preceded in death by his parents; siblings; in-laws; and his son-in-law, Jerry. Services will be private. Arrangements are entrusted to JOBE FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY INC. (MONROEVILLE/PLUM CHAPEL), 445 Beatty Road, Monroeville (412-856-4747). Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association in Jere's memory. online condolences may be left at www.jobefuneralhome.com.