Burtley "Burt" Ross Bratcher

Burtley "Burt" Ross Bratcher cherished life and was deeply loved by his family and friends. He was passionate about spending time with his loved ones, especially when celebrating holidays and special occasions. Throughout his life, Burt enjoyed using his superb cooking skills to enhance many celebrations. He was absolutely the best father and grandfather (Gee) ever and was a man of many talents and accolades. He was variously known as an IT professional, philosopher, world citizen, dog lover, former judge, humorous speaker, storyteller, music critic, gourmet cook, farmer and old cowboy. Burt was a fun guy who spread joy and humor to those around him.

After moving into senior living, he became the self-appointed, informal party coordinator at the facility. He provided margarita machines at numerous parties and dressed up for every occasion. He would show up as Uncle Sam on the Fourth of July, on Saint Patrick’s Day in green hat, bowtie and shirt and dressed as a Mardi Gras king, complete with beads and cape, on Fat Tuesday. He enjoyed surprising others as he continued creating themed, fun costumes to put smiles on the faces of his fellow residents and friends. Most of all, he wanted everyone to have fun. Burt loved the fact that he grew up on a farm in Texas and learned the connection between working the earth and serving the world. Even though his life path took him away from the farm, he always stayed true to his roots as a farmer.

Burt was born in Seymour, Texas, on April 23, 1949. He passed away peacefully in Southlake, Texas, on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, after a long illness. Burt graduated from Seymour High School in 1967 and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Tech University in 1971. He was a lifelong Red Raider fan. At Tech, Burt was a member of the Saddle Tramps, a selective organization founded to preserve Tech traditions, provide service to the Tech community and support Texas Tech athletics.

He had a diverse career path, initially working in the agricultural field for Farmers Home Administration. From there, he moved into executive management at the county level and served as Montgomery County Judge. With the growing influence of technology, he realized he had a natural talent for using computers and was able to quickly learn how to integrate and support emerging technologies. After leaving the county, he became an IT professional and eventually co-owned Bratcher and Associates with his son, Timothy Bratcher, where he served until his retirement.

Burt was preceded in death by his parents, Claudell and Mary Helen Bratcher, his beloved son Timothy Bratcher, and many adored dogs. He is survived by his daughter, Tara Key and husband Scott, grandsons Noah, Jonah, and Micah Key, his former wife Rosalyn Bratcher Maxwell and close friend Jimmie Maxwell, his brother Larry Bratcher, and other extended family and friends. The family is blessed that he had loving caregivers, Jay Geter and Timothy Nuss, who have become like family.

A celebration of life service will be held at Sparkman Hillcrest, 7405 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX, on Saturday, April 24th, at 3 pm, with a reception following. The reception will be a fun event (per Burt’s request) in keeping with Burt’s passion for merriment and joy. In lieu of flowers, Burt and the family would appreciate a donation to Dogs Matter (www.dogsmatter2.org) or the charity of your choice.