James E. Burch

He was born January 27, 1936, in Emporia, KS to Harold (Cap) Burch, and Ann Adkins Kern. He married Janice Zug (daughter of Emil and Nola Phillips Zug of northern Lyon County and Emporia) on November 23, 1957, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Emporia.

After graduation from Emporia High School (1954) he earned a BA (History) and played football on the championship teams of the 1950s at the College of Emporia. He served in the United States Marine Corps, including an assignment to Okinawa, after which he taught history, coached, and was athletic director at Emporia High. He joined the sales force of Parke-Davis pharmaceuticals in 1966, retiring as a regional manager for Warner-Lambert in 1996. His career moved the family to Wichita, KS; Lincoln, NE; Springfield and Kansas City, MO.

Retirement to western Colorado in 1997 brought new work and fun: writing for the paper in Battlement Mesa, substitute teaching for the Parachute School District, skiing at Sunlight and Powderhorn, fishing on the Grand Mesa and the Roaring Fork, volunteer ranger work at the Colorado National Monument, interpreting for visitors to Colorado on Amtrak through the National Park Service Trails and Rails program and many other outdoor activities headquartered from the family cabin in "the best part of Colorado". Jim and Jan enjoyed world-wide travel as they traveled and learned on six of seven continents. Jim enthusiastically followed the Kansas City Chiefs up to their Super Bowl win on February 11.

Jim is survived by his wife of 66 years, Jan Burch, daughters Kelly Molaskey (Paul) of St. Louis, MO, and Susan Chamberlain (Barry) of Grand Junction; grandchildren Katy Scott (Alex) of St. Louis, MO, Maggie Ball (Jamie) of Grand Junction, Ryan James and Sarah Chamberlain of Grand Junction; and great-granddaughters Nola James Scott and Lily James Scott of St. Louis.

Consider directing gifts in memory of Jim Burch to either the Colorado National Monument Association (CNMA 1750 Rim Rock Drive, Fruita, Colorado 81521 www.coloradonma.org OR the Wigton Heritage Center Endowment Fund (01155730), University of Nebraska Foundation, P.O. Box 82555, Lincoln, NE 68501-2555. The Wigton Heritage Center honors health care history in Nebraska. An exhibit is planned for November 2024 which will contain artifacts from Jim’s career with Parke-Davis with additional pharmacy history materials.

A celebration of life will be held at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 11 AM followed by a graveside ceremony with military honors at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado. Please visit www.Callahan-Edfast.com to view full obituary and sign family guestbook.