Rebecca Burch

It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Rebecca “Becky” Burch. Becky passed away on the morning of November 3, 2023, at the Nathan Adelson Hospice in-patient facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Becky was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. She passed away from the effects of a yearlong battle with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.

Becky was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 30, 1946, to the late Ephraim John Furness and Esther Olga (Sorensen) Furness. Raised in Salt Lake City, Becky attended Riley Elementary School; Glendale Junior High School; and South High School. While in high school, she took several sewing classes that proved to be the beginning of her lifelong passion for sewing and quilting. She also attended two years of college at the College of Southern Utah in Cedar City, Utah. Along the way, she also worked at the LDS Hospital for three years while in high school.

Becky joined the United States Air Force in December, 1967. She served tours of duty in Texas, Thailand and South Korea. Becky met her future husband, Robert (Bob) Edward Burch while serving at Osan Air Base in South Korea, they married in Seoul, South Korea in 1976. They transferred to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, where Becky was honorably discharged from the Air Force so she could concentrate on raising her new family. Robert (Rob) Edward Burch II was born at Nellis AFB.

Bob also left the Air Force, and the two of them moved to Southern California where they welcomed a daughter, Kristina Marie (Burch) Adams. Bob’s company transferred them to Northern Virgina in 1985, where they lived until Bob retired in 2000. Becky worked at several elementary schools that Robert & Kristina attended in Virginia. In addition, she worked at Staples and Office Depot. After Bob’s retirement, they moved to Henderson, Nevada.

Bob & Becky moved to an age-qualified community in Henderson where Becky was active in the Veterans Club, the LifeLong Learning Club, and Adult Coloring. However, she was particularly active in the Sewing & Quilting Club where she continued to develop skills she had learned as a child. She taught several classes to members who were interested in sewing stuffed animals, and she helped new members become proficient on several embroidery machines used by the club. Becky & Bob also made use of their retirement years as an opportunity to travel. They went to Hawaii; traveled on the Rocky Mountaineer train through the Canadian Rockies; took a river cruise from Amsterdam to Zurich; spent time in Germany; and returned to South Korea, where it all started, to visit with their daughter.

Becky is survived by her husband Bob, son Rob, daughter Kristina, granddaughter Dulcie Marie Adams, and sister Carolyn Warner. In addition, she had 6 nephews and 16 great nieces and nephews who live in Salt Lake City.

Becky will be interred at the Southern Nevada Veterans Cemetery in Boulder City on December 21, 2023, at 1:20 PM with the full military honors due to her.

Becky led a very full life and will be missed by her family and all who knew her.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmeastern.com for the Burch family.