Obituary of Paul R. Burch, Sr.

Paul R. Burch Sr., 50 of 518 6th Avenue, Coralville, died Monday, August 22, 2005 at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held, 1:30 pm, Thursday, August 25, 2005, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Visitation will be from 11:00 am until services. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for Paul’s children. Online condolences for Paul’s family may be sent through our website @www.gayandciha.com. Paul Robert Burch was born October 11, 1954, in Fort Madison, Iowa the son of Donald and Cecilia (Schutte) Burch. In 1967 his family moved to the Coralville – Iowa City area where he attended and graduated from West High School in 1972. Following high school he attended Kirkwood Community College. On April 22, 1978, Paul married Vera Evans in Washington, Iowa. For the past thirty years, Paul was employed as a machinist by Sheller Globe, later becoming Lear Corporation. He enjoyed spending time outdoors, fishing, hunting, looking for morel mushrooms, playing baseball, and other activities, especially with his sons, brothers, and nephews. Paul loved playing his guitar and painting artwork. He was an avid sport fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, Iowa Hawkeyes, and West High Football teams.. His family includes his wife, Vera; three sons, Paul R. Burch Jr., Darren and Benjamin; his parents, Donald and Cecilia Burch of Crawfordsville; four sisters and their husbands, Kathleen Kovacs and Mark of Ivoryton, CT, Deborah Cota and Jack of Naperville, IL, Donna Dittmer and David of Olympia, WA, and Julia Hyde and Todd of Sarasota, FL; two brothers and their wives, John Burch and Gaynel of Sanger, TX, and William Burch and Christine of Iowa City; 4 nephews, 12 nieces, 1 great-niece, 1 great-great-niece; 1 step-niece, 1 step great -niece, 2 step-great-nephews; parents-in-law, Everett and Gladys Evans of Coralville, 3 brothers and sisters-in-law, Ed and Janet Evans of Washington, John Evans of Coralville, and Grace and Bob Schamel of Marion. Paul was preceded in death by his grandparents, and a step-niece. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Paul’s’ family and his services.