Burch, Donald F. 'Cookie'

Donald F. “Cookie” Burch, 81, of Crawfordsville, formerly longtime resident of the Iowa City / Coralville area, died Friday, May 4, 2012, at Mercy Iowa City. A visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 9, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City, concluding with a prayer service. Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Fort Madison.

Donald Fischer Burch was born Nov. 13, 1930, in LaPlata, Mo., the son of Melvin and Clara (Fischer) Burch. He was raised in Kirksville, Mo., moving to Fort Madison, Iowa in 1945. Here he graduated from Fort Madison High School in 1948. He enlisted in the United States Navy as a Seabee in 1949 and was honorably discharged in 1950. Returning to Fort Madison he met and later married Cecilia Schutte in 1951. They raised a family of seven children, living in Fort Madison, moving to Coralville in 1967, and moved to Iowa City in 1984. Don and Cecilia later moved to Crawfordsville in 1998.

Through the years Don worked for Sheaffer Pen, Sheller-Globe, and Sears Manufacturing, finally retiring from Purethane.

Don was a gifted woodworker who built numerous pieces of furniture for family and friends, and as a skilled handyman, was always willing to lend a hand or a tool!

Don's family includes his wife of over 60 years, Cecilia; their children, Kathy Kovacs (Mark) of Ivoryton, Conn., Debbie Cota (Jack) of Naperville, Ill., Donna Dittmer of Olympia, Wash., John Burch (Gaynel) of Sanger, Texas, Bill Burch (Chris) of Iowa City and Julie Hyde (Todd) of Irving, Texas; sister, Dodie Burgess (John) of Fort Madison; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a daughter-in-law, Vera Burch of Coralville.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a son, Paul.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web at www.gayandciha.com.

Published May 7, 2012, in The Gazette