Some of the best memories of my childhood are from time spent at mom Burch’s house with her small unruly and beautiful family - formative times and events that shaped me into the person I am today. Lazy summers, crazy holidays, back yard parties, rocket football Saturday’s, camping trips to Grand Haven....all felt welcomed, safe and loved at Mom Burch’s house - given just enough freedom to learn some of life’s important lessons but not enough to get into trouble. Well, not too much trouble ;)
And it was the same for many of us from the neighborhood. Mom Burch’s house was a hub for kids and their activities - kids that grew into adults and still found their way back to Mom Burch’s living room for holidays or special events. I remember the day that Mr. Kuipers, our elementary school principal, announced over the intercom that Patrick Burch’s Dad, Nancy’s husband, had unexpectedly died. Our whole neighborhood felt the tragedy. We wondered how their family would make it - early 1970’s, single mom, three crazy kids…
But it turned out that Nancy was as tough and resilient as she was kind and generous. Life threw a lot of adversity in her direction, and Mom Burch worked through the suffering, fought through the pain, and she always came back. And then, in later years it was so satisfying and heartwarming to see Mom Burch mellow with age and settle into work, a new marriage, and happiness. It made the universe seem just a little kinder, a tiny bit more just.
Mom Burch, thank you for everything. I will miss you.
