Memorial Services for Steve Burch, age 48 of Cedar Rapids,
formerly of Des Moines and Ossian, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday,
January 8, 2008 at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Ossian, with
inurnment in the church cemetery. Msgr. Cletus J Hawes will officiate.
Family will greet friends one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday.
Stephen Paul Burch, age 48, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away at his home on January 3, 2008.
Steve was born on April 18, 1959 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Donald & Patricia Burch.
In 1970, Steve's family moved to Agoura, California where he grew up and attended Agoura High School.
Following his education, he worked as an auto mechanic for many years and later worked in the construction industry as a heavy equipment operator. Steve had a passion for fire fighting, serving on several volunteer fire departments, and for the past several years he worked as an instructor with the Fire Service Training Bureau at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He was an active member of the Iowa State Fireman's Association and traveled to many states such as California and Minnesota to aid in search & rescue efforts.
Steve enjoyed cooking and was always the chef at family gatherings. He also enjoyed fishing & boating as well as anything associated with fire fighting.
Survivors include his father; Don Burch, of Ossian, IA, 3 daughters; Melissa (Burch) Clark, of Vinton, IA, Danielle Burch, of Oxnard, CA, Jamie Burch, of Ossian, IA, 1 brother; Kevin Burch, of Palmdale, CA, 2 sisters; Beth Kuhn, of Waucoma, IA, Susan Burch, of Calmar, IA, his godmother, Ramona Drilling, of Ossian, IA and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Steve was preceded in death by his mother, Patricia Burch, his grandparents, Henry & Helen Burch and Bill & Ruby Murphy, and his uncle, Don Drilling.