Charles Wesley Burd, Jr.

Wes was born in Texas City and grew up in League City, Texas. His childhood was spent in a close-knit community of family and friends who spent most nights and weekends together planning their next hunting or camping trips over good Texas cuisine. Through adolescence, he developed an interest in hot rods (building, fixing, and driving them) as well as cowboy culture, where he was known to ride horses bareback and even ride a bull or two. His love for family and adventure became integral to who he was, and though he left League City and later the United States, Texas always held a special place in his heart.

Wes graduated from the University of Houston with a bachelor’s in mathematics after serving in the US Army, stationed in Germany. He went on to start his media career at the Houston Chronicle and later at KPRC and Telemundo (where he met and fell in love with his wife, Patricia). When offered an opportunity to work in Slovenia and launch POP TV, they both embarked on an adventure (with Karen and Tiffany in tow, and Wesley was added to the family later), which began a 30+ year career as a leading media sales and research executive. He developed media markets in the US and abroad, specializing in the Central and Eastern European countries, the Middle East, and Asia, where his expertise in media and strategic relations was critical to supporting and strengthening the voices of independent media. He spent many years as Chief of Party working with media support programs in Serbia, Moldova, Kosovo, and Syria.

Wes was a true global citizen and immediately understood the intricacies of establishing successful working teams while overcoming cultural differences, language barriers, and diverse cultural backgrounds. His ability to integrate himself into cultures far from his Texas roots allowed for opportunities that developed life-long relationships around the world with friends and colleagues. This also planted a seed for his children to grow a love for diversity and travel. Due to his career, the Burd family was able to experience decades of living in fascinating places that taught us so much and provided us with an extended international family around the world.

As an avid learner always up for a challenge, he recently obtained a Chartered Financial Consultant and Certified Financial Planning certification from Rice University and the American College of Financial Services. Through his work, he continued to make a mark on many of his clients' lives.

Our dear Wes is survived by his wife of 34 years, Patricia Torres-Burd, and leaves behind his children Karen, Wesley, and Tiffany (Burd) Scrimgeour; her husband Ian and grandson Oliver; his sister Patsy and her husband David Mead; nieces Lori Mead and Darcie Carrell and husband Jeremiah and grandniece Remington. His loving parents, Charles Wesley Burd Sr., and Elsie Burd preceded him in death.

The family wishes to thank all those who helped us during this trying time. Your support, love, and friendship have meant the world to us all, and we can never fully express our gratitude.

Wes was a friend to anyone he met and was much respected by his colleagues from around the globe. He was a proud father and husband, always sharing how much he cared about his loved ones and was interested in every aspect of their lives. The outpouring of condolences and cherished memories underlines his impact on so many.

He had a reputation for kindness and authenticity, and his exceptionally dry humor will be missed. Wes could also cook like no one else - using his passion for food to connect with others and show his family how much he loved them! Wes’s Fried Chicken is renowned worldwide, and he never missed an opportunity to barbecue a giant steak or make the best chili and the ultimate red beans and rice. He could go to a restaurant once and replicate his favorite dish quickly, delighting everyone with exceptional dinners and family conversations. Not only was he a fantastic cook but also quite the handyman. He was always working on projects fixing the house, ensuring his kids' cars ran smoothly, or tinkering with broken things. There was not a problem that he could not figure out a solution to, much like his father before him.

His legacy of family first, always, and of love will continue as we deal with our grief and miss the man who built the foundation of our family and taught us so much. He was so proud of his children and held extraordinary relationships with each of them.

An obituary cannot do justice to a man who taught us so much and whose support made our lives so wonderful. We will miss him for the rest of our lives.