Ruth Alice (Goins) Burch

Ruth Alice (Goins) Burch, age 87, of Grand Haven, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Christian Haven Assisted Living in Grand Haven, MI, following a brief illness. She was born on August 8, 1936, in Soddy, TN, to Hughey and Lela (Parker) Goins.

Ruth was a Life Member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She married the "love of her life" Glen "Bud" Burch on August 25, 1953, after meeting him while visiting her sister, Ev, in Niles, Michigan. The two began life and a family together in Niles before Bud's job took them to Paris, IL, and eventually to Grand Haven, MI where they built their family home on Lakeshore Drive.

After moving to Grand Haven in 1970, Ruth worked at the Armory with Pete Hill, raising funds for what would become the Grand Haven Y.M.C.A. She continued to work there as the Office Manager until her retirement in 2003. Ruth and her husband were also active in the Jaycee's together.

Ruth supported her children in all their activities, most of all she enjoyed watching her son, Mike, play baseball for many years. She bowled on a league with her good friends: Barb Forrest, Jane Poort, Joanne Powers, and Ev Wood. Together, they shared many laughs and good times.

After retirement, Ruth loved traveling with her daughter, Kim, to casinos and sightseeing along the way. She looked forward to meeting up with her son at Gun Lake Casino for lunch with a side of gambling.

Ruth is survived by her son, Mike (Carol) Burch of Battle Creek, MI; granddaughters, Kelsey Burch of Cary, NC, and Erin (Alex) White of Perrysburg, OH; great-granddaughters, Sonnet and Brighton White; sister, Lila Beard of Tarzana, CA; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Glen (1979); daughter, Kimberlee Burch (2015); sisters: Ev, Gin, and Jo; stepsister, Doris; stepbrothers, Harold and RL; and special brother-in-law, Norman.

The family would like to say a big thank you to longtime neighbors, Charles and Irene Wierengo, the caring staff of both Christian Haven Assisted Living and Trinity Health Hospice Grand Haven, and Ruth's longtime Physician, Dr. Joseph Ortiz.

A private Graveside Service for Ruth will be held at Lake Forest Cemetery at a later date.

Memorial Contributions may be made to a charity of donor's choice.
 

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