Gloria Wren (Stankard) Burns

A Mass of Christian Burial for Gloria Wren (Stankard) Burns will be held on Friday, May 22, 2026, at 10:00 AM in St. Mary Church, Waltham.

Gloria was born in Waltham to the late John William & Beatrice Gertrude (Andrews) Stankard.  She passed away unexpectedly on May 15, 2026. She was 87.

Gloria was the oldest of 5 children.  She is a graduate of Waltham High School class of 1956 where she was a cheerleader.  After high school she worked at Newton-Waltham Bank and Trust where she met her husband, Robert.  They settled in Watertown where they had, and raised, 8 children.  She was a stay-at-home mom for 21 years which also included being a hockey mom, little league mom, field hockey mom, cheerleader mom, boy scout mom, girl scout mom, and the list goes on and on.  When her younger children started school, she joined the Watertown School System’s Cafeteria where she enjoyed a 25-year career in feeding the students.  

Gloria was an avid sports fan, theatre goer and world traveler.  She followed the Boston Celtics, Bruins, Patriots and Red Sox religiously which also gave her something to discuss with her children daily.  She attended too many Broadway shows to count.  In her retirement she traveled with Watertown Savings Bank’s Club 50 where she was able to travel all over the world.  Gloria danced as a child but continued dancing as an adult.  She was a proud member of the Peggy McGlone Dance Studio both as a child and as an adult.

Gloria loved her neighbors, loved her community, loved her family but above all else, loved God.

She was the beloved wife of the late Robert P. Burns.  Devoted mother of Robert Burns, Jr. & his wife Susanne of Hanson, June Burns of Nashua, NH, Mary Ann Burns & her husband Ralph Ward of Los Angeles, CA, Barbara Burns of Holbrook, Ann Marie Murphy & her husband Dennis of Plymouth, John Burns & his wife Suzanne of Waltham, David Burns of Watertown, and Christine Sevigny & her husband Scott of Hudson. Dear sister of Geraldine McGovern & her husband William of Haverhill and Mary Iannuzzi & her husband Ralph of Stoneham and sister-in-law to Mary O’Neil & her husband Gerald of Woburn.  Gloria was pre-deceased by two brothers, Gary and Michael Stankard.  Loving grandmother of Spencer Burns & his wife Elizabeth, Lauren Mercurio & her husband Justin, Dr. Meaghan Burns, OTD, Madeleine & Vivienne Sevigny, and the late Brittany Burns. Doting great-grandmother of Julianna Mercurio.

Funeral from the MacDonald Rockwell & MacDonald Funeral Home at 270 Main St. Watertown Friday May 22, 2026, at 9 AM followed by Funeral in the Church of St. Mary, 145 School St., Waltham at 10 AM. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Visiting hours Thursday 4 to 8 PM.  Interment St. Patrick Cemetery, Watertown.

Memorials in Gloria’s memory may be made to The Catholic TV Network P.O. Box 9196 Watertown MA 02471 or at https://www.catholictv.org/

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