Obituary: Robert Ray Burch – Football 1942 – Military Veteran – Dec. 18, 2014

Robert Ray Burch, M.D., (Bob) passed away on December 18, 2014, from Leukemia at his home at The Forum on Park Lane in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 90. He was surrounded by family. Bob was born on May 28, 1924, in Edgard, La., to Lottie Edith Monroe and George Edward Burch, M.D. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lillie Margaret (Peggy), and his children, Robert R. Burch, Jr. of Exton, Pa., and Gayle Burch Agnew of Dallas. He is also survived by his grandchildren Marie and Amelia Burch, and Tom, Elizabeth, and Annie Agnew. He is predeceased by his brothers George Jr., Donald, Clyde, Warren and Emile Burch, and sisters Dorothy Nolan and Lucille Snyder. He graduated from Edgard High School, before entering Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) on a football scholarship. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was a B-17 pilot during World War II in the 15th Air Force. After the war, he completed college at Tulane University and subsequently the Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed an internship at Philadelphia General Hospital, a residency at Duke University and a cardiology fellowship at Tulane. Bob was a long-time resident of New Orleans where he practiced internal medicine for 57 years mostly in private practice and at the Clinical Research Center of New Orleans as the Assistant Medical Director. He also taught clinical medicine at Tulane University Medical School. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Little Lake Hunting Club, Metairie Country Club, Royal Society of St. George, and Aescalapians Carnival Club. Bob served as President of the Louisiana Heart Association, Governor of the American College of Physicians, President of the Medical Staff at Southern Baptist Hospital, President of the New Orleans Academy of Internal Medicine and President of the Orleans Parish Medical Society. He published a book, "WWII: A Pilot’s Experience" about his own experiences in World War II, and was a lifelong scholar and a loyal fan of Tulane Athletics. A memorial will be held in the coming months at Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans. Donations in his memory may be made to the Burch Family Endowed Trust at Tulane University, Office of Development, 1555 Poydras Street, Suite 1000, New Orleans, LA 70112, Attn: Shannon Woodward (checks payable to Tulane University).