Sidney Gail Burch Rojo

Sidney Gail Burch Rojo, 83, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 13 in Houston, Texas, surrounded by family. She was born December 17, 1935 in Shreveport, LA to Arthur James “Bill” Burch & Evelyn Cain Burch, being the first of two daughters.

Her childhood years were spent on Harry Carey’s ranch in California with her younger sister JoAnne. As the daughter of a professional football player, she was very athletic and competitive in sports.The Burch family moved to Texas when Sidney was a teenager. She attended Reagan High School, where she participated in basketball, track, and was a proud Reagan Redcoat. Also, at that time, she began taking dance lessons from Patsy Swayze. She was such a good student that she began teaching for Patsy (including her son, Buddy) and was in many of her productions.

She had a life-long career in acting, singing and dancing. As a local favorite in musical and dinner theaters, she was in the inaugural Theatre Under The Stars production of “Bells Are Ringing” at the grand opening of Miller Outdoor Theatre. Her career included touring with “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” and taking a spin across the silver screen during the dance contest in “Urban Cowboy.” Sidney also worked in the press room for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and as a secretary for the Salt Grass Trail Ride Association and Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. While performing at Theatre, Inc. in the early ‘50s, she met her future husband, attorney Jose Rojo. Her endless devotion to St. Jude and her faith in God, called them to adopt sick triplets on Christmas Eve, 1959.

Along with help from her parents and constant prayers, they provided loving care, and nursed the triplets back to health. She would look back on the adoption as the happiest moment of her life. Sidney lived her faith by giving unselfishly and caring for others. Through her vivacious and exuberant personality, she shared a zest for life and sought to bring joy, love and happiness to those around her. Above all else, she cherished and loved her family, especially her children and grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her former spouse, Jose H. Rojo. Sidney is survived by her sister, JoAnne (Jim) McMahan, son Ramon Rojo, son Roberto (Janet) Rojo, and daughter Raquel (Mitchell) Clendening. She leaves behind 6 grandchildren: Erin Riley of Rhode Island, Megan (Adam) Figueroa of Mesquite, Andrew (Sarah) Rojo of Wylie, Lauren Rojo of Richardson, Matthew (Becca) Clendening of Houston and Claire Clendening of Austin; 5 great-grandchildren: Adam Figueroa Jr, Emma Figueroa, Jacob Rojo, Katie Rojo and Gavyn Wesner; 9 nieces and 8 nephews.

Visitation will be Thursday from 5-9pm at Brookside Funeral Home, Cypress Creek at Hwy. 6 N, with a Vigil and Rosary at 7 pm. A funeral mass will be held Friday at 11 am at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church. The mass will be followed by a reception, with burial at 2 pm at Memorial Oaks Cemetery.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the doctors, nurses, caregivers, staff and volunteers at both Treemont Healthcare Center and Memorial Hermann Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations go to one of the following: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate/ Brain & Behavior Research Foundation https://bbrfoundation.donordrive.com/campaign/In-Memory-of-Sidney-Rojo

Roger Allan Raby Scholarship Fund, Theatre Under the Stars, 800 Bagby St., Unit 200, Houston, TX 77002