Iris Roberts Burch

Iris Roberts Burch age 85 of Riverside Drive, Gainesville
passed away May 15, 2009 at his home, after an extended
illness. He was born December 17, 1923 in Fayetteville,
Georgia, and was preceded in death by his parents, Walter
Lee and Verna Roberts Burch, and two sisters, Mary Jean
Burch and Eva Tigner Hardin.

He is survived by his beloved wife of almost 60 years,
Rebecca Mackey Burch, son and daughter in law, David and
Terri Burch of St. Simons Island, son, Walter Bruce Burch of
Athens; daughter and son in law, Cindy Iris and Mike
Haynes of Gainesville; six grandchildren, Mackey Corinne
Burch, Bennett Lasseter Burch of St. Simons Island, Matthew
David Burch of Venice, CA, Sarah Rebecca (Robb) Stenzel of
Joliet, IL, Scott Michael Haynes, and Robert Mackey Haynes
of Gainesville; brothers, Walter Fields Burch, Glenn Gray
Burch, Sr., John M. Burch William Abb Burch, and Arthur
Merritt Burch; sisters, Bessie Vada Buttram and Sara Frances
Crumbley.

Mr. Burch attended Berry College and graduated from the
University of Georgia with a B.S. in Agriculture. He served
in the U.S. Army during WW II in the Asiatic Theater of
Operations in New Guinea, the Philippines, and Japan. He
taught agriculture at Pepperell High School in Rome, entered
the poultry industry in Gainesville. For several years, he
was employed by the Georgia Department of Corrections in
Atlanta, from which he retired. He was a dedicated gardener,
and for many years he harvested and gave baskets of fresh
vegetables to countless friends in Gainesville. His love of
flowers is evidenced by numerous varieties of lilies, which
he grew for flower gardens all over Gainesville. In his
retirement years, he and Becky traveled to many
destinations, including the Canadian Rockies, Hawaii,
Alaska, Fiji, Australia, and they also cruised to several
European ports.

The family will receive friends from 5:00pm until 7:00pm
Sunday May 17, 2009 at the Mason & Ward Funeral Home,
Gainesville.

A Celebration of his life will be held at 2:00 pm Monday May
18, 2009 at the First United Methodist Church in Gainesville
of which he was a member with Dr. Terry Walton and Rev. Tom
Jones officiating. The family will receive friends from
following the service in the Gathering room.

Those desiring to make contributions may do so to The Eagles
Ranch, 5500 Union Church Road, Flowery Branch, Georgia
30542, Hospice of Northeast Georgia, 743 Spring Street,
Gainesville, Georgia 30501, or to the First United Methodist
Church, 2780 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville, Georgia
30506.

On line condolences may be expressed to the family at
masonandwardfuneralhomeandcremation.com