Obituary of II Burch

Graveside services for Paul G. Burch, 82, Overton, are scheduled for 11:00 am, Wednesday, July 15, at the Overton City Cemetery with the Reverend James Dill officiating, under the direction of Cottle-Pearson Funeral Home, Overton. Mr. Burch died Monday, July 13, in a Henderson hospital. He was born December 25, 1926, in Tennessee, to the late Paul Gardner Burch, I and Maylene Burch. He was a Veteran of World War II, serving in the Army Air Corps.  Mr. Burch received his Bachelor of Science degree from Sam Houston University and his Master's degree from Southwest Texas State University. He moved to East Texas in 1970 from Corsicana. He was a retired educator who had served as a baseball coach, football coach, golf coach and basketball coach. He was assistant football coach and head baseball coach at Navarro Junior College from 1957 until 1970. In 1958, Navarro Junior College won the conference championship.  He also served as the head football coach for Winona from 1970 until 1972. He was principal at Overton Elementary school from 1972 until 1987. His favorite pastime was playing golf. An exceptional golfer, he was recognized in Sports Illustrated as one of the country's leading amateur golfers for shooting 62 at the Longview County Club Championship.  He was a Methodist and was saved by grace in May 2009. He was a member of the Gladewater Country Club. He married Polly Garner April 4, 1951. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Burch. Survivors include his wife, Polly Burch, Overton; a son and daughter-in-law, Paul 'Bucky' Burch and Shelly Burch, Fort Worth; daughter and son-in-law, Ellen and Scott Guthrie, Tyler; daughter, Gay Tyra and Jonathan Fogle, Tyler; grandchildren, Zachary and Jessica English, Cameron English, Sage Tyra, and Abigail Burch; and four great-grandchildren.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Zachary English, Cameron English, Scott Guthrie, Jonathan Fogle, and Bucky Burch. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the ICU nurses at East Texas Medical Center, Henderson and Dr. Walgama.