BuxMont 920 is sadden to learn of the passing of retired Lansdale City Carrier Cletus Burns on Sunday (7/20/25).

Born June 15, 1949, in Mount Carmel, Pa, he was a graduate of Mount Carmel High School in 1967 where he was an athletic star playing baseball, football, and basketball. After high school graduation, he proudly served our country in the Vietnam War in active combat duty in the 4th Infantry Division of the US Army.

Soon after his honorable discharge, he married the love of his life and his soul mate, Nancy, who he was married to for nearly 54 years. Clete spent 35 years working in the Lansdale Post Office where he made a lot of close friends who stuck together for life. In 2005, Clete had a second career at GlaxoSmithKline where he spent 10 years working in the shipping and receiving department. Again, Clete made close friends, a theme that would permeate his entire life.

In 2015, he retired to spend time with his beloved wife, children, and grandchildren. Clete enjoyed life to the fullest and the most important thing to him was his family. Clete established special relationships with all of his family members and close friends. He enjoyed shooting pool and was regarded as one of the best in the area. Going on vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC, with all of his family was a highlight every summer.

Clete enjoyed going to the VFW to spend quality time with his friends and fellow veterans. Clete was all about putting others first and did not have a selfish bone in his body. He leaves behind a legacy of caring deeply for others. As a Christian, he believed that doing for others was more important than doing for himself. This was evident in all of his relationships with friends, family, and co-workers. He was a very special person and will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, his daughter, Amy (Mark), his son, Christopher (Monica), and his daughter, Erin (Mike fiancé), his six grandchildren: Kenna, Kiera (Justin fiancé), Ethan, Topher, Colin, and Taylor, and his sister Rosemary, brother-in law Stuart and lots of nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his father, Cletus, in 1957, and by his mother, Mary, in 2012, and by his sister, Loretta (Church), in 2008.

The viewing for Clete will be held on Thursday evening, July 24, 2025, from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Simcox-McIlvaine Funeral Home, 532 E. Main Street, Lansdale, PA. There will be another viewing Friday morning July 25, 2025 from 9 AM to 9:45 AM at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, 51 Lansdale Ave, Lansdale, PA 19446. The Funeral Mass will follow at Saint Stanislaus Church at 10:00 AM. Interment will be in Whitemarsh Memorial Park.

For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made to the Lansdale VFW (VFW Post 32 | Associations & Organizations).