Bruce C. Burch

Psalm 112:1 Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who finds great delight in his commands.


Rev. Bruce Chandler Burch, age 80, of Battle Creek, MI, went home to heaven on August 23, 2013. He was preceded to heaven by first wife, Cora Mae (Long) Burch, to whom he was married for 50 ½ years; parents Rev. Herbert and Lenore (Gould) Burch; brother, Everett Burch, Sisters-in-law Christine Burch, Jan Long, and Marian Glaesmann, brothers in law Wes Long and Floyd Glaesmann, and other beloved family members and friends.

He is survived by his wife of almost 11 years, Elizabeth J. (Betty) Grafton Burch of Battle Creek; children , Libby (Mark) Brinkman of Canton, OH, David (Pam ) Burch of Collierville, TN, Daniel (Jana)Burch of Flower Mound, TX, Rev. Douglas (Sandra) Burch of Ypsilanti, MI, Jonathan (Theresa ) Burch of Beloit, OH; step-children, Lori (Randy) Rheynard, Lynette Bower, Jim (Kim) Grafton, John (Suzie) Grafton, all of Battle Creek; grandchildren, Breann (Chris) Ward, Jared (Sondra) Burch, Jessi (James) Like, Hannah (Ryan Matkin) Fogle, Samantha (Alex) Ransone, Bridget (Andrew) Patesel, Megan (Jereme) Proudman, Sarah (Nick) Sundheimer, Katie Burch, Kaitlin Burch, Lydia Mae Burch, Phillip Chandler Burch, Travis Brinkman, Abbi (Guiseppe) Cuba, Andrew Rheynard, Adam Rheynard, Shelby Bower, Emily Bower, Johnny Grafton, Seth Grafton, Riley Grafton, and Gage Grafton; great-grandchildren , Caleb and Colton Ward, Jayden and Jazzlyn Like, Kayla Mae and Timmy (and father, Jim) Fogle, Hayden Brinkman Zufall , Jensen Patesel, Ella and Ben Sundheimer , Micah and Abigail Mae Proudman, Zander Burch, River Matkin, Tucker and Evan Cuba; Brothers and sister (and in-laws) Dr. Larry (Carol) Burch, Rosemary Kugel Burch, Gene (Linda) Burch, and Irene (Rev. Kenneth) Parsons; brother-in-law, Rev. James (Deb) McConnell; and many other extended family members.

Bruce was born September 20, 1932 in Adrian, Michigan. His family moved to Celina, Ohio when he was in the 8th grade, where he graduated from high school in 1950. He attended Marion College (Indiana Wesleyan University) in Marion, IN, and was awarded honorary alumni status from Malone College (now Malone University) in 2004. Bruce was a recorded minister of the Evangelical Friends Church-Eastern Region and completed over 50 years of service in the following locations: Selkirk Friends Church in West Branch, MI (1954-58), Adrian City (MI) Friends Church (1958-66), Bellefontaine (OH) First Friends Church (1966-78), EFC-ER Regional office (Canton, OH) as youth and area superintendent (1978 – 90), Winona (OH) Friends Church (1990- 92), Raisin Center (Adrian, MI)Friends Church (1992-2004). After his official retirement, for several years, he traveled to Chicago every other weekend from Battle Creek, MI to pastor the Blue Island Hispanic (now Chicago International) Friends Church.

Of all his gifts, his capacity to love people was perhaps the greatest. Though he enjoyed working with people of all ages, his greatest joy came from mentoring young people to lives of service to Jesus Christ. Though we may forget many of the sermons he preached, we will never forget the ones he lived or how much he loved us and how proud he was of us.

Bruce was currently a member of the Battle Creek Friends Church where services to celebrate Bruce's life will be held on August 27, 2013 at 10:00 AM, officiated by Dr. Wayne Evans, Rev. Chris Jackson, and Rev. Kelly Hadlich. Visitation will be held 5:00 TO 8:00P.M. on Monday, August 26, 2013 at Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held at the Raisin Center Cemetery near Raisin City Friends Church at 3:00 PM on August 27, 2013. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be directed to the EFC-ER Missions Board c/o EFC-ER Headquarters, 5350 Broadmoor Circle, Canton, Ohio 44709.