Loretta Faye Burch

“Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.” Loretta Faye Burch, 88, resident of Tigard, Oregon, and longtime resident of Woodburn, Oregon, passed away into Jesus’ arms on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Legacy Meridian Park Hospital in Tualatin. She was born Loretta Faye Gilson on May 2nd, 1936, in Portland, Oregon to Gilbert R. and Hazel Mildred (Deverell) Gilson. During her young childhood years, the family moved to Toledo, Oregon, where Gilbert & Hazel operated a small farm, and Loretta enjoyed the idyllic life of a small town, graduating from Toledo High School in 1954. She attended Oregon State University the following year. Loretta treasured those early days in Toledo with memories of her parents, and her younger brother, Delmar, who came along when she was 3 years old (April 30, 1939). During these years as a young woman, she made her life-long commitment to proclaim Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and followed him in baptism, becoming a member of the Toledo Church of Christ on the Hill, where she attended regularly. Here, inspired by her mother’s faith, Loretta began her spiritual journey, discovery of the Lord’s faithfulness and her life-long love of God’s Word, the Bible. 1954 was a hallmark year for Loretta for another reason aside from high school graduation, as she was chosen Miss Lincoln County and competed in the Miss Oregon pageant that year. 3 years later, on April 14, 1957, she and her high school sweetheart Edward L. Burch would marry and begin their journey of 42 years together, until Ed’s passing in 1999. While living in Toledo and then moving to Newport in 1959, Loretta worked evenings in the IBM department, first at Georgia-Pacific in Toledo and then at the People’s Utility District (PUD) in Newport. Along the way of their 42-year marriage, Ed and Loretta would be blessed with 4 children: Ronald Leroy (1959), Brian Edward (1961), Bradley Royal (1965), and Melanie Ann (1972). Ed’s career with Mayfair stores took the family from Newport to Woodburn in 1966, where Loretta joined the Woodburn Christian Church and would teach Sunday School for decades, sing in the choir and as a soloist, serve as a deaconess and then as church secretary for over 10 years. This was followed by her employment as a Medical Assistant and Insurance Clerk for local friend and physician, Dr. Cleon Miller. Loretta retired in 1998 after 17 ½ years in the medical profession. Ed and Loretta would spend their retirement years together watching their family blossom through marriages and grandchildren, as well as favorite times of travelling, antiquing, and gardening the grounds of 548 Hall Street in Woodburn. After Ed’s passing in 1999, Loretta continued her retirement years by filling her days serving many people in her neighborhood and through the church, loving and always being present for her children, grandchildren and a growing number of great-grandchildren. Loretta faithfully studied her Bible daily (even when eyesight failed her), was constantly reading, singing and enjoying music, crafts, and shopping. When she moved in her later years from Woodburn to the Lake Oswego/Tigard area to be closer to Melanie, she stayed in regular contact with family and her many friends for the rest of her life, nurturing all of these relationships by regular phone calls and cards she would write, although legally blind. She was a faithful wife, mother, sister, “Auntie”, grandmother, friend and disciple of Jesus Christ, experiencing the Lord’s great faithfulness until her final day. Loretta is survived by her 4 children, Ronald L. Burch of Woodburn, Oregon and Las Vegas, Nevada, Brian E. Burch (wife, Becky) of Anacortes, Washington, Bradley R. Burch (wife, Mayra) of Lompoc, California, and Melanie A. Karp (husband, Sean) of Lake Oswego, Oregon. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild (arriving September 2025). She was preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert and Hazel, brother Delmar, husband Edward and a great-great grandchild, Knox. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.” (Revelation 14:13) Services for Loretta will be held Saturday, April 26, at the Woodburn Christian Church, followed by a private burial at Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem, Oregon.

Tributes

Loretta Faye Burch

May 2, 1936 - April 15, 2025