Obituary of Burch Mary Helen

Mary Helen Boyd Burch passed away on June 6, 2009 at home with her family in Lebanon, TN. She was born in Tullahoma, Tennessee on November 18, 1919. She was preceded in death by her parents James F. and Anne H Boyd and her husband of 66 years Billy P Burch. She is survived by her three sons Richard L Burch, Hendersonville, TN; William F Burch (Jerry), Birmingham, AL and James B Burch (Therese) Leesburg, VA. She also has 5 grandchildren, Charles L Burch (Jennifer) Atlanta, GA; W. Bradley Burch (Jody) Richmond, VA; Ryan F Burch Birmingham, AL; Jessica Burch Leesburg, VA; Leigh Scott (Sean) Purcellville, VA. She also has seven great grandchildren and dear family friends Harold and Rose Pickel. Helen Burch grew up in Tullahoma, Tennessee where she went to public schools; she went to Tennessee College for Women, where she excelled in academics, played on the sport teams and was a class officer; she later transferred to Middle Tennessee State College where she again excelled in academics and met her future husband, Billy P Burch of Bruceton, Tennessee; she received her undergraduate degree from MTSC with a teaching degree and taught school in the various cities she lived. Billy joined the U S Navy as a fighter pilot in 1941 and while he was assigned to NAS Jacksonville, Fl they were secretly married; she went with him on training assignments to Chicago, Ill; Seattle, Washington, San Diego, Ca and Melbourne, Fl before he was shipped overseas to the South Pacific While in Melbourne, Fla in 1944 she had her first son Richard; when Billy returned from war, they lived in Murfreesboro, TN for a while and had their second son Bill; Billy took a job at Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, Al in 1946 and in 1951 they had their third son Jim. By 1973 Helen and Billy relocated to Lebanon, Tn, where Billy had gone to Castle Heights Military Academy. In Lebanon they got involved the church, Lebanon County Club, Castle Heights Alumni Assoc, Cumberland College (now University) activities, Big Band dances over the Metro area and Cracker Barrel Restaurant Corp. activities. Helen Burch loved her family and her life centered around them; when her sister Margaret got sick in Key Biscayne, Fl she spent weeks and months nursing and assisting her until she passed away; when her father James Boyd and sister Catherine Boyd in Tullahoma, Tn needed assistance she was there for them for weeks and months until they passed away; when her sister Ann was sick in Nashville, she spent weeks and months assisting her until she passed away; she was by her husband's side until he passed away in December 2008. Helen Burch supported, encouraged and was loyal to her three sons as they grew up in school, sports and their various careers to her final days and did the same for her grandchildren..they all loved to come visit Grandma Helen Burch was very much a Christian woman and attended First United Methodist Church in Lebanon, Tn until she was unable to and then watched tapes of the services at home on Monday mornings; she did her bible and prayer readings on a regular basis and always kept her family and friends in her prayers. Helen enjoyed tennis, bridge and dancing and met and made many of her friends through these hobbies..She also attended many different types of sporting events from U S Open Tennis to Alabama football games with her family The Burch family would like to thank caregivers Edna Crawford, Jimmie Sue Johnson, Melony Cason, Mary Denson, Dawn Jordan and Julianna Reedy for the love and care they gave Helen and Billy Burch over the past five years. Also grateful appreciation to Odyssey Health Care ...for their care and understanding. She will be sorely missed by her family and friends, as she was truly a member of the "greatest generation".. it was therefore fitting that Helen passed away on D Day and Billy passed away on Pearl Harbor Day as that period of time dominated and formed their lives .and yes her three sons were all a" mama's boy" In lieu of flowers the family would prefer a gift to First United Methodist Church of Lebanon, Tn . Services will be handled by Sellers Funeral Home in Lebanon, Tn with visitation from 10am to 11am and service from 11am to 12noon at the funeral home on Tuesday 6/9/09 and a private graveside service in Tullahoma, Tn.