John F. Burns, Military Policeman During World War II, Dies At 93

Courtesy of Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home

John F. Burns of the Holiday City Carefree section of Berkeley Township, passed away on Sunday December 10, 2017 at his home. He was 93.

He was born on Oct. 5, 1924 in the Eltingville section of Staten Island and moved to Great Kills in 1940, then to Stapleton from 1953-57 and from 1957-1978 he lived in Great Kills.

He then moved to Holiday City Carefree in 1978. He graduated from Tottenville High School in 1943 and was a former member of St. Clara's R.C. Church on Staten Island. John served in the US Army from 1943-1946 as a military policeman guarding and escorting prisoners of war.He was an armed guard aboard the US prison trains going from New York to Colorado where he guarded German POW's and on similar trains traveling to West Virginia guarding Italian POW's. His travels with the US Army also took him to Canada and he was stationed in Ft. Wadsworth on Staten Island for 5 months.

He worked 27 years at the NYC Transit Authority and the last 21 years as a Transit policeman retiring in 1975. He was a member of St. Maximilian Kolbe R.C. Church, Toms River. He was a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge #1875 and also a member of the NJ State Retired Police and Fireman's Local #8 and was also a former Vice Commander of the American Legion Post 277 Watkins Kellett in Staten Island.

He was in the American Legion for a total of 56 years. He was an avid golfer as well as passionate bowler, and he swam regularly at the spacious pool in Holiday City. In recent years he and his wife Ruth enjoyed traveling around the United States and taking walks in the Holiday City dog park with his favorite dog Peekie. Jack was also a proud Mets, Nets and Jets fan.

John was predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Ruth Ellis Burns. He is survived by his nephews, Chris Spollen and his wife Jing Bao, Tom Spollen, William Ellis and his wife Carol, and Mark Ellis; his nieces Anne Spollen and Lori Ellis; his sister-in-law Jean Ellis and seven grandnieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017 and on Saturday, Dec 16, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 26 Mule Road Toms River, NJ 08755. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at St. Maximilian Kolbe RC Church Toms River. Entombment will be at Ocean County Memorial Park. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.quinn-hoppingfh.com.

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