John T. Bruns, 89, formerly of Shrewsbury, passed away Friday, December 12, in Columbia, MD. Born in Elizabeth and raised in Colonial Terrace, Ocean Township, John lived in Shrewsbury for 55 years before briefly residing in Tinton Falls and Columbia, MD.
He was predeceased by his wife of 40 years, Dale Sohl Bruns, in 2003, and by his parents William and Frances Bruns. He is survived by his daughter, Tracey Geary, Columbia, MD, his son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Sarah Bruns, Saline, MI, his grandsons Ryan Geary, Brooklyn, NY, and Kyle Geary, Columbia, MD. He is also survived by his companion of many years, Cleonice (Lee) Hausser, Somerset, and his son-in-law, Thomas Geary, West Long Branch.
John was a graduate of St. Rose Grammar School and Middlesex County Vocational Technical High School Perth Amboy, and served in the United States Navy Reserve. He was an aviation electronics technician. He retired from the AVRADA division of Fort Monmouth in 2004 after over 20 years of service and previously worked at Lakehurst Naval Air Station. Flying was his passion and he earned a small plane pilot’s license in 1956. He enjoyed sports and was a longtime NY Rangers and Mets fan.
He was an avid volunteer and was very active with the Boy Scouts/Scouting America throughout most of his life. As a youth, he achieved Life Scout and was the 1954 Lodge Chief for the Monmouth Council Order of the Arrow. As an adult, he served nearly 50 years of volunteer work. He was active with the Shrewsbury Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in the 1970s and 1980s. Later, he was active in the advancement of Eagle Scouts in the Twin Lights District of Monmouth Council. He was a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow and loved to spend time at Forestburg Scout Reservation. In 2025, he stepped down as the Monmouth Council Advancement Committee Chair after 10 years of service. He received the Silver Beaver award in 2019. In addition to Scouting, he amassed hundreds of hours as a volunteer on the 3 East floor at Riverview Medical Center between 2004 and 2020.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 8th from 4-7 pm at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701. Interment will be held on Friday, January 9th at 11 am at St. Gertrude’s Cemetery, Colonia, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in John’s name to the Friends of Scouting, Monmouth Council of Scouting America, 705 Ginesi Drive, Morganville, NJ 07751 or on their website at https://www.monmouthcouncilscouting.org/FOS.
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