Loyd C. Burcham

Lt. Col. Loyd C. Burcham, age 89, of Garnett, Kansas, passed away on Thursday, September 2, 2010, at Golden Heights in Garnett, Kansas. Loyd was born on February 15, 1921, at Hamilton, Missouri, the son of Byrd C. and Julia O. (Mayes) Burcham. He was the third of seven children. He grew up on farms in Linn County, Kansas, and graduated from Parker Rural High School in 1939. He helped his father with farming and worked in and near Pueblo, Colorado. He was united in marriage to Chloralee "Billie" Drake on July 11, 1943, at Centerville, Kansas. This union was blessed with one daughter and one son. Loyd enlisted in the U.S. Army the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He joined the US Army Air Corps in February of 1942. Loyd graduated from Aviation Cadets as a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1942. His service career included a tour of duty in the China/Burma/India theater during WWII, as a bombardier on one of the first B-29 crews that flew over Japan. He was credited with shooting down two Japanese planes, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He separated from the service in October 1945. With a partner he built a restaurant in Pueblo, Colorado, which he operated and later sold. He farmed near Darlington, Missouri and Tonganoxie, Kansas, until he was recalled to active duty in the U.S. Air Force in March 1951 during the Korean Crisis. His service continued through the Vietnam War. Loyd was stationed in UTapio, Thailand during some of his tour. He was awarded the Bronze Star among other citations. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Lt. Colonel in September 1969. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Forest Ranger School in Lake City, Florida in January 1971, with an associate degree in Forestry, and obtained his private pilot's license. He worked for Georgia -Pacific Corporation in South Carolina until 1977, when he moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming. After moving to Wyoming he secured his license in real estate and was a part time salesman while semi retired. He especially enjoyed spending time at his cabin on Rock Creek in Carbon County, hunting, fishing and mingling with the ranchers in that area. In June 1997 he moved to Garnett and fully retired. He was a member of the First Christian Church in Garnett; Masonic Lodge; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Military Officers Association; and National Rifle Association. Loyd was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Roy M. Burcham and Ray D. Burcham. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Billie Burcham, of the home; one daughter, Barbara Kinder of Kansas City, Kansas; one son, Alan F. Burcham of Reno, Nevada; one granddaughter, K. Michele Kinder of Shawnee, Kansas; one brother, Byrd C. Burcham, Jr. of Independence, Missouri; and three sisters, Katherine McHone of Virginia Beach, VA; Ruth Gorrell of Garnett, Kansas; and Julia Ann LoGuidice of Tempe, Arizona.