Walter H. Burtchell, age 73 of Temple, died Friday, July 31, 2020 at his residence. Services will be held at Greathouse Cemetery at 10:00am Thursday, August 6, 2020 with Rev. Brent Boatwright officiating. The family will receive visitors from 5-7:00pm Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home.
Mr. Burtchell was born July 12, 1947 to Hildegard Beck Burtchell and Harvey Jewell Burtchell in Kassel, Germany. He graduated from Belton High School in 1965.
He served our country in the US Navy from 1965-1970. He attended the U.S. Navy Electronics “A” School on Treasure Island, CA and Data Systems “A” and “C” Schools on Mare Island before serving aboard the USS WASP CVS-18. Although recommended for the NESEP Program (Officer Program), he left the Navy with an Honorable Discharge April 7, 1970.
He graduated from Mary Hardin-Baylor College in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree. He graduated with honors from the Central Texas Regional Police Academy in 1980. He graduated with honors from Texas State Technical College in 2007. He taught and coached girls’ sports at Buckholts High School. He worked a short time for the Temple Police Department. He trained as a pilot. He worked 26 years for the US Postal System in Temple, Texas before retiring. He married Victoria Anne Gorman on July 12, 1975 in King, TX. He is preceded in death by his parents Hildegard Burtchell and Harvey Burtchell, two sisters Hilda Peterson and Kathy Agee and infant son Derek Burtchell.
Walter is survived by his wife, Victoria Burtchell; his daughter, Alana Burtchell Duckworth; four grandchildren, Caitlin Duckworth, Ethan Duckworth, Cassidy Duckworth and Dylan Duckworth; two brothers Jimmy Burtchell and Michael Burtchell; and one sister, Christine Williams, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Walter was an avid sports fan. He played baseball while a student at Mary Harden-Baylor and went on to be an assistant coach after graduation. He always had a smile on his face, a baseball cap on his head and ready to talk to anyone. He loved animals especially horses and dogs. Probably his greatest love other than his Lord and his wife was technology.
Pallbearers will be Brice Duckworth, Patrick Gorman, Sean Gorman, John Ashley, Russell Kurtz, Greg Billeck and Dylan Duckworth. Honorary pallbearers will be Johnny Billeck, Michael Burtchell, Jimmy Burtchell and Paul Duckworth.
Memorial may be given in Mr. Burtchell’s name to the charity of choice.
