HARTLAND, VT — Jeremiah Burns was lifted from his struggle with heart and lung disease to a place of peace and eternal rest on Thursday morning, November 19th. He was born in Boston, MA, the son of Jeremiah and Joan (Kelly) Burns and was raised in Milton, MA with his sister Martha and twin brother David. He attended Milton schools, where he ran cross country, played hockey and tennis while developing his natural artistic talent. He later attended the New England School of Art in Boston and after graduating, worked in advertising in Boston.
During his college years he made regular trips to Vermont to ski, begrudgingly returning to the Boston area on Sunday night. As a young adult he left Boston to spend a season skiing in Vermont and never returned to the city on a fulltime basis. It was while he was a ski instructor at the Mt. Ascutney Ski Area that he met Alan Ferguson. Alan was taking a year off to ski as well and after seeing some of Jerry’s experiments with wood, carving and signs he convinced Jerry they could start a business selling hand carved signs. They initially settled in South Woodstock where they started making signs and continued their passion for skiing. A friend came to ski for the weekend, liked the house they were renting, bought it and then evicted them. This began their search for a new home which they found in the old Methodist Church in Hartland. This building became Jerry’s home, workshop and love affair for nearly 50 years. Jerry’s work is on display throughout the Upper Valley, as well as other parts of the country and the world. He enjoyed the entire process from the initial collaboration with his clients to providing them with a special and meaningful sign custom made to meet their desires. He was happiest on a warm summer day with the shop doors wide open, covered in sawdust and paint.
After establishing themselves in the sign business, Jerry and Alan partnered with Mark and Patty Milowsky, Jim Reiman and Jesse Ware in building Jesse’s Restaurant in Hanover, NH. This was a rewarding experience for Jerry, allowing him to use his artist talents in a different way to create something new and exciting.
In 1993 he met Lauria Giles who would become his life partner for his remaining years. They were married in October 2007 on Martha’s Vineyard. In 2004 they took in an abused, abandoned and scared little dog they named Lilly. She became the focal point of their lives for the next 13 years. She could be seen regularly with Jerry running errands to pick up sign supplies or walking the recreation fields in Hartland.
Jerry’s warmth and zest for life made it easy for him to quickly form lasting friendships. While attending schools in Milton, MA, he met Roger Crawford and Paul Needham, who became hockey teammates and cherished friends through his final days. Jerry’s core Hartland family included PJ Skehan, whom he met “right off the boat” from Ireland and instantly became family, and his wife Tina, Tom and Bonnie Reynolds and Neil and Heidi Cockwill. He will be remembered for his quick wit, sense of humor and lighthearted practical jokes.
Jerry was predeceased by his parents, his brother David and his beloved four-legged companions Bess and Lilly. He is survived by his wife Laurie, his sister Martha and her husband Stanley Linowski of Norton MA, his nephew Lee Linowski and family of Erdenheim, PA, his niece Jennifer Andrade and family of Coventry, RI and his niece Laura Mulcahy and family of Dighton, MA. He is also survived by many of his wife’s large extended family who enjoyed Jerry’s wit and sense of humor. They are far too numerous to mention but no less important.
He often commented that nothing happens in life by design. One of his favorite phrases was “life is what happens when you are making other plans.” He had a deep appreciation for the people in his life and all of life’s simple pleasures. He often said the one thing he got right in life was moving to Vermont.
There will be a celebration of Jerry’s life when we can safely gather. Contributions can be made in his memory to The Hartland Rescue Squad, PO Box 403, Hartland, VT 05048 or to The Upper Valley Haven, 713 Hartford Ave, White River Junction, VT 05001.
The Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock, VT is assisting the family. An online guest book can be found at cabotfh.com