Jerry Wayne Burch, 69, of Tifton died Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at Tift Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2013, at Tift Avenue Baptist Church. Rev. Terrell Roberts will officiate with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Russell Hand, Keith Whittington, Virgil Johnson, Brian Hand, Chuck Parks, Bryan Giddens and Bill Cowden will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the Trustees of Tift Avenue Baptist Church. The family will receive friends on Thursday, April 4, 2013, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Mr. Burch will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service.
Mr. Burch was born on November 4, 1943 in Grantsville, West Virginia and was the son of Bud Burch and Maggie Stump Burch, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by one son, Mike Nicholson. He played football, basketball and baseball in high school and was an avid NASCAR fan and loved watching Bonanza on television. He was retired from Walmart as a truck driver and was a member of Tift Avenue Baptist Church. Jerry loved helping others, he loved spending time with his grandkids, and he loved his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jerry had also served in the United States Army.
Mr. Burch is survived by his wife of 43 years, Carolyn Hand Burch of Tifton; two daughters and one son-in-law, Candace and Mac Coker of South Carolina and Mechelle Conn of Tifton; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Bill Burch of West Virginia and Richard and Marie Burch of North Carolina; one sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Raymond Baker of West Virginia; six grandchildren, Tim Snyder, Brandy Rugg, Megan Welborn, Lauren Banda, Broc Nicholson and Bethany Conn; nine, special great-grandchildren; four sisters-in-law and three brothers-in-law, Ronnie and Annie Ruth Hand, Jackie and Randy Stripling, Roger and Brenda Hand and Margie Whittington; and many nieces and nephews.