Bryce Allan Burgess

Born 11/20/1946 in Towanda, PA to Paul “Pete” and Marjorie Burgess, Bryce lost his fight with metastatic colorectal cancer on 1/30/14 at his home in Chandler, AZ. He amazed his oncologist Clayton Polowy, MD and was called Superman because he tolerated 6 years of chemotherapy, all the while hiking, running, biking, and kayaking. He continued to have a positive outlook on life despite his prognosis and was an inspiration to everyone around him.

Bryce was Student Council President and all-around athlete at Towanda High School, then served 3 years in the US Navy as a Dental Technician for the island stations of the Caribbean. He achieved a Fine Arts Degree from Wilkes College and moved to Central City, IA as a high school art teacher and football coach. He changed careers to enter the trucking industry as a dock worker and worked up to management. After the tragic death of wife Holly Howe, Bryce left Iowa and settled in Tucson, AZ where he married Irene Echerivel. Two children and several promotions later, the family established roots in Chandler, AZ. Over twenty years later and divorced, Bryce retired as the Regional Safety Manager for Saia Motor Freight and married Robin Hungerford.

Bryce loved the Southwest and the desert. He hiked the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim twice, once in <15 hours. No one appreciated a good deal more than Bryce, who amassed a spare for everything. Bryce was a great athlete, husband, father, stepfather, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, chemo room ice-breaker, menagerie keeper, gardener, cook, baker, carpenter, outdoor enthusiast, and friend who appreciated the small stuff.

Preceding him in death were his father Pete, brother Steve, sister Carrie Borgia, and daughter Renée Michelle Burgess Odom. He is survived by a heartbroken family: wife Robin, daughter Jenna Keisling, sons-in-law Mark Keisling and Josh Odom, stepdaughters Rachel Hungerford and Christine Hewitt (WV), grandchildren Renée and Sydney Keisling, and Trinity Hewitt (WV), his mother Marjorie, brothers Keith (Judy), Don (Miriam), brother-in-law Tom Borgia and their families, and 3 extended families into which he married.

A celebration of Bryce’s life will be held Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2:00 p.m. at Lakeshore Mortuary, 1815 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, followed by visitation at Bryce’s home. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Damon Runyon Foundation in Bryce’s memory (www.damonrunyon.org) or to the charity of your choice. Services will be held in Pennsylvania sometime in May.