Burr, Maurice Francis

Maurice Francis Burr, 75, of Fairfax, died peacefully Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids after a courageous battle with Parkinson's disease.

Maurice “Maury” was born July 25, 1936, in Garnavillo, Iowa to Arnold and Regina Burr. He graduated from St. Mary's High School in Guttenberg, received a B.A. from Loras College in Dubuque and a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. After college, Maury married his high school sweetheart, Lois DeSotel, on June 16, 1959, in Garnavillo.

Maury dedicated his entire 39-year professional career to serving the people of the state of Iowa as a civil engineer with the Iowa Department of Transportation (IADOT). Before retiring from the IADOT, Maury was the District 6 engineer located in Cedar Rapids. Maury also diligently served the Catholic Church as a lecturer and religious education instructor at various parishes during his life.

After Maury's retirement from IADOT in 1998, he could be found traveling the country with his wife Lois, in his bass boat, cheering on his beloved Iowa Hawkeyes, or spending time with his family.

Maury and Lois recently moved from Cedar Rapids, where they had lived for the past 23 years, to nearby Fairfax.

Maury will be lovingly missed by his wife, Lois, and family: son Gary, his wife Chris, and grandchildren, Mitchell, Emily, Clayton and Laura, of Bishop, Ga.; son Alan, his wife Tracy Wagner, and grandchildren, Lauren, Rachel and Regina, of Bradenton, Fla.; daughter Marcia Bell, her husband Vernon Scott Bell, and grandchildren, SPC. Benjamin Bell, Ashley Bell, CPL. Justin Schultz, Benjamin Schultz and Gale Schultz; and son Brian, his wife Deb, and grandchildren, Jacob and Stephanie; and sisters-in-law, Margaret DeSotel and Carol DeSotel.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Arnold and Regina Burr; baby brother, Lloyd; brother, Gary Burr SVD; brother-in-law, Robert DeSotel; and his only nephew, John DeSotel.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 7, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Garnavillo, with the Rev. Marvin Bries officiating. Interment will be at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Garnavillo. The family will receive friends from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Tuecke-Allyn Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 001 S. Industrial Park Rd., Garnavillo, and one hour before services Monday at the church.

Condolences may be left at

Published Nov. 4, 2011, in The Gazette