Steven Carlon Burch Sr.

Steven Carlon Burch, Sr. 67 returned to his heavenly home on November 3, 2016, after a valiant fight against heart disease. He lived every day of his adult life knowing it may be his last. His devotion to God, faith, and modern medicine allowed him to live beyond his life expectancy. He was able to witness and enjoy the birth of his grandchildren, who were his pride and joy, and many other family milestones along the way.

Steve was born to the late C. Stanford Burch and Emma Burch on June 1, 1949 in Houston, Texas, and his childhood was enjoyed in Baytown, Texas. His father succumbed to heart disease when Steve was only 12 years old. Eventually, he moved to Pasadena with his mother where he graduated from Sam Rayburn High School and later from the University of Houston with a degree in Economics and minor in Business. Steve was originally an electrical and instrumental engineer for S&B Engineers, a Sr. Process Control Engineer at Bayer Corporation, and eventually had several different positions including Senior Instrument & SIS Project Engineer at Ventech and Global Account Manager at HIMA. Steve retired in December 2014. However, retirement did not suit him as he later became bored and returned to the workforce in May 2016 as a System Safety Consultant for North America at Yokogawa Corporation of America. He was a TUV Certified Functional Safety Engineer.

In the 1980’s he became entranced with commercial real estate while working for Qualified Properties, but unfortunately due to the economic recession he could not support his family in the unpredictable market. Commercial real estate was truly his passion, but he felt it was necessary to return to his engineering profession. He stressed the importance of education, and was pleased to see all 4 of his children graduate from college as well as his 2 oldest grandchildren.

Steve was blessed with a large and loving family. Since it was just him and his mother after his Dad’s passing, he always tried to give his mother a big family since she herself was only able to have one child. He was happy to fill that void with his 4 incredible children, 2 amazing step-children, and 9 grandchildren with 1 granddaughter on the way.

Steve was known for his incredible wit, dry sense of humor, ability to spontaneously make up a funny story or poem, his love of skiing and the Rocky Mountains, fondness for watching action movies and dressing up as action heroes from Top Gun, Rambo, and Rocky. His family fondly remembers him with his guitar “playing” to classic 70’s rock, but he’s remembered most for being there for his family and going above and beyond taking care of his precious 94 year old mother.

Steve is survived by his loving and adoring wife, Kathy Burch. They shared many medical emergencies together including by-pass surgery, stents, and a horse accident and Kathy was devoted to him through it all. Steve is also survived by his mother Emma Burch, his son Steven Burch, Jr. and wife Stacey Burch, his daughters Stacy Patek and husband Charles Patek, Courtney Peavey and husband Brian Peavey, and Ashley Paskett and husband Marshall Paskett, and his stepchildren Shauna Wardlaw and husband Glen Wardlaw and Justin Green. His grandchildren are Kassie Patek, Kandace Patek, Max Peavey, Daniel Peavey, Dylan Burch, Cameron Burch, Aiden Peavey, Sydney Burch, and Harrison Paskett as well as a granddaughter on the way. They made him so very proud and they are his legacy.

Steve was involved in the community as a lifetime member of the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo and as an active member of First Baptist Church spent time mentoring in the youth ministry.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in his memory for heart disease In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in his memory for heart disease to the American Heart Association. www.heart.org