Colleen B. (Burns) Orszulak

Colleen (Burns) Orszulak passed away peacefully at home on July 4th. Colleen was born in Goffstown, New Hampshire on July 30, 1942, daughter of Paul and Doris (Fowler) Burns. Upon graduating from Goffstown High School in 1960, Colleen and her family moved to Ware, Massachusetts. Colleen studied English at the University of New Hampshire while working summers at the Ashworth by the Sea at Hampton Beach. Her teaching career began in Southwick followed by Gilbertville and finally at Ware Junior High where she taught eighth grade English for 25 years. Colleen met and married her husband Paul (Pavo) in 1967 and they resided together in Ware for fifty-eight years while raising four children. In her retirement, Colleen and her husband Pavo enjoyed their most rewarding job, running “Grammy’s Day Care” where she taught all of her grandchildren how to read, and provided them with countless memories and life lessons, while her children were teaching. Colleen enjoyed life’s simple pleasures; swimming, reading, gardening, feeding the birds, and hosting family parties at her house. She never missed an event or game played by her children or grandchildren. She loved spending her summers with friends and family at Red’s, Benny’s Pond, and later with her grandchildren by the pool. She proudly taught them all to swim. Colleen loved to sit in the sun with her feet in the sand and the highlight of every summer was the annual family trip to Hampton Beach, her happy place, where no matter the weather conditions, it was “a beautiful day”. Her happiest moments were always with her family by her side. Colleen is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Paul; her children and their spouses, Dan (Heather), Christine (Jim), Stephen (Maggie), Michael (Heather), and her brother, Greg Burns. She was a devoted Grammy to Lizzie, Katie, Lexie, Callie, Alex, Amelia and Hannah. Sadly, Colleen was predeceased by her first child, Timothy, who died only days after his birth. Calling hours will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025, from 4-7 PM at Cebula Funeral Home. A funeral mass will be offered on Saturday, July 12, at 10 AM in St. Mary’s Church, 57 South Street in Ware, where everyone will meet directly at the church. Burial will follow the mass at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Ware Sports Boosters, P.O. Box 1441, Ware, MA 01082.  Funeral Services are under the direction of the Koziol Family of Cebula Funeral Home.  For more information and an online guest book, please visit:  www.cebulafuneralhome.com .

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