Charles Andrew Burce

life story

Beloved son, brother, and uncle

"I LIKE YOU!"

About Charles

Charles Andrew Burce, age 58, passed away on Friday, February 4, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Born in the highlands of Papua New Guinea on June 10, 1963, Charles was the youngest of seven children of his Lutheran missionary parents, Rev. Dr. Willard and Elinor (Dicke) Burce.

A deeply beloved son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin and friend who brought great joy to everyone he encountered and befriended in Papua New Guinea, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and elsewhere around the world, Charles was preceded in death by his mother, Elinor, and is survived by his father, Willard (Bill), two brothers, Gregory (Jan) and Jerome (Nancy), and four sisters, Amy, Mary (James) Warlick, Juliana (Brian) Tanning, and Carrie (Myron) Koehn, in addition to 14 nieces and nephews, nine great-nieces and nephews and many beloved cousins.

Charles, lovingly known to his family and friends as Charley, was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea and was a faithful member of several Lutheran congregations during his lifetime, including Epiphany Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, WI, and in recent years he attended Nativity Lutheran Church in St. Anthony Village, MN.

To provide for his special education needs, Elinor and Bill, along with the parents of two other children with disabilities, founded in the late 1960s the Papua New Guinea Handicapped Children’s Association and later the Lae Special Education Centre, the first such organizations in the country. Charley thrived, developing a lifetime love of reading and books and a dedicated habit of recording his daily activities in a diary. In 1984, he graduated from Memorial High School in Eau Claire. Other treasured activities included visits with his parents in Eau Claire, time with his sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews, collecting baseball caps, watches and pens, watching Little House on the Prairie, remembering his favorite dog Pumpkin, visits to McDonalds, family devotions, and serving as an acolyte at family weddings.

Following his childhood years in Papua New Guinea, Charley lived in Milwaukee, WI, Eau Claire, WI, and St. Paul, MN with family members. He also lived for several years in community group homes in the care of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services and Wingspan Life Resources.

memorial service

Visitation and Remembrance Service

May 6, 2022

Nativity Lutheran Church ELCA 3312 Silver Lake Rd NE, St Anthony, MN 55418, USA

A visitation and remembrance service to honor Charley’s life will be held on Friday, May 6, 2022, from 3:30 – 6:00 p.m. at Nativity Lutheran Church in St. Anthony, Minnesota (3312 Silver Lake Road NE); the service will begin at 4:30 p.m, followed by a time of fellowship and reflection. The following day, on Saturday, May 7, at 11:00 a.m., a graveside service will take place at Brunswick Cemetery in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin (S-5760 Cemetery Road, Town of Brunswick) with a concluding committal. Family and friends are warmly welcomed to attend.

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services