John Burns Jr. passed away peacefully on January 14, 2025 at the age of 66. Beloved brother of Kathy Burns and Liza Powell.

John graduated from Scotch Plains Fanwood High School with the class of 1976 in New Jersey and attended Ithaca College. A longtime resident of New Haven, Connecticut, he was known for his passion for rock music and fast cars.

He found strength, courage, and wisdom in a 12 step program that he remained active in for over 40 years. Friends called him the lifeguard, referring to his youth on the Jersey shore. Within the rooms he was known as John B.  His life, his stories and his knowledge of the 12 step principles were an inspiration to countless others. He'll be remembered by those who knew him well as a cool dude, a good friend, and a perpetual troublemaker.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday January 23, 2025 at Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, 2300 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. Friends may visit with John's family from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to NAMI at https://www.nami.org/get-involved/donate-to-nami/ .  To send his family a condolence, see obituary at www.beecherandbennett.com.