Richard "Whitey" Burch

Richard "Whitey" Burch

August 21, 1931 ~ December 15, 2017

“Whitey” Burch, age 86, passed away peacefully on December 15, 2017.  He was born on August 21, 1931 to Edward and Hulda Hansen Burch.

Whitey joined the U.S. Navy at a young age, was a boxing instructor at the Washington Terrace Boys Club, and worked in the construction business for many years.

Whitey met the love of his life Renee Spencer and tied the knot with her on August 15, 1950. During their 67 years of marriage they had three children; Shelley Burch (John) Clarke, Larry Richard (Connie) Burch and Becky Burch (Mike) Meehan.

Whitey loved the outdoors and spent many days hunting and fishing with his family. Whitey’s true passion was harvesting and selling Christmas Trees. So in 1959 he and Renee started Burch’s Christmas Trees. He was known in the Ogden area as “Mr. Tree”. In 2007, Whitey and Renee passed this yearly tradition/business onto the daughter Becky and her husband Mike. Whenever you couldn’t find Whitey, you would know that he would be at the farm working on something to make it perfect. All of this farm work was spent so his family could enjoy throwing parties at the farm and so he could teach his grandsons a great work ethic.

Whitey is survived by his wife, Renee; Daughter Becky(Mike) Meehan; 13 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild; brother, Eddie Burch and three sisters; Jackie Burch Mount, Virginia Anderson and Linda Kruitbosch and many family members that will miss him dearly.  He was preceded in death by his daughter, Shelley Burch Clarke and son, Larry Richard Burch.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Lindquist's Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd.  Family will meet with friends on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the mortuary. Interment, Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd.