Doyle Burchett Obituary

Holyoke Enterprise, July 30, 1953, Holyoke, Colorado
 
DOYLE BURCHETT RITES YESTERDAY; ACCIDENT VICTIM
 
Last rites for Doyle Burchett, 27-year-old Holyoke man who lost his life in an accident at Nome, Alaska, on July 22, were held yesterday afternoon at the Holyoke Baptist church.
 
Rev. Alva C. Lynch officiated. Military rites were conducted by the Zeiler-Owens-Lindsay post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Holyoke, of which Doyle was a member. Burial was in Holyoke Memorial Park. Arrangements were in charge of the Lewis Funeral Home.
 
The seventh of nine children of Claude and Grace Burchett, Doyle Burchett was born in Holyoke on May 10, 1926. He grew to manhood here, attending the local schools, and entered the army at Fort Lupton on November 17, 1944. He was baptized in the local Baptist church at the age of 12.
 
He served in the European theatre of operations from April 16, 1945 until July 1946, and upon his return to the United States he was assigned to Headquarters Company 608th Engineers before receiving his discharge from the army at Camp Kellemer on August 18, 1946.
 
After returning to Holyoke, Doyle, who was affectionately known as “Whitey” among his friends, managed the Veterans of Foreign Wars club for some time. About sixteen months ago he and a friend, Barton Scott of Haxtun, went to Alaska and found employment with a construction company. Doyle also had an interest in a gold mine. He was riding on top of a large gold washing machine which was being moved through Nome when he lost his footing and fell. A skull fracture was cited as the cause of death.
 
The body was taken to Seattle, Washington by plane, then to Denver by train, accompanied by Mr. Scott, and arrived there Tuesday. It was brought to Holyoke that day in the Lewis coach.
 
Doyle was highly regarded by his employer, as evidenced in the following quotation from a letter to the family: “Nothing I can write will be able to express how we will miss him - not only for his wonderful, cheerful disposition which endeared him to all of us, but for his driving, dynamic personality. Doyle had already demonstrated marked qualities of leadership, as well as exceptional mechanical ability, and we were already laying plans for his future with the company.”
 
Survivors include his mother, Mrs. Grace Burchett, Denver; grandmother, Mrs. Alice Fair, Denver; four sisters, Mrs. Florence Hayes, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Mrs. Leona Anderson, Casper, Wyoming, Mrs. Jeanette Dennison, who is in Japan with her husband, and Miss Delores Burchett, Denver; four brothers, Wilbur E. and Mack Burchett, both of Holyoke, Marvin Burchett, Aurora, and Lyle Burchett, Denver; and twelve nieces and nephews and a number of other relatives.
 
 

DOYLE BURCHETT

 
 

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