Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-10-14

Last Saturday home people a
PennsviiIe received a message stat
ing that Ensign Ronald Earl Burch
er, 25, who was born at Pennsville
had passed away at $3.50 a. M, il
the naval hospital at San Diego
Calf. His death was due to tumol
Of the brain, for which he had un
three years ago, he suffered an in
jury to his head while swimming al
the Annapolis naval academy, which
1t is believed was the beginning oil
his fatal illness. He entered the
hospital last April, and in May un.
derwent the first operation. It was
disclosed then that his case was
hopeless, and while at times il
seemed that he was somewhat i'm
proved, on the whole he was losing.
For some days preceding his death
he had been in very critical condi-
ton.
He graduated from the Penns-
vile high school in the year 1880,
and was a brilliant student Follow
ing his graduation, he took prepara-
tory, work, in order to be better
qualified in his examination for ap-
pointment at the U. S. naval acad
emy, at Annapolis, Md, which acad
emy he entered in 1882 He grad
uated from Annapolis on June A.
1886, and was Immediately station
ed on the U. S. S. Maryland, on the
western coast, at Bremerton, Wash.
He remained on duty there until he
became i'll, and was removed to the
hospital where he had since been.
The deceased was a son Of Elder
w. A. Burcher, and the late Viola
Pfdgeon Burcher, who was killed in
an auto accident in July, 1928
When quite young he moved with
his parents to Newcastle, Ind, and
it was while the family was resid-
ing there that his mother met death
in the accident mentioned, and the
deceased shortly after went to make
his home with his grandparents, Mr..
and Mrs: John S. Pidgeon, near
Pennsville.
When his father learned of his
serious illness, and that he was to
undergo an operation, he went by
plane, May 8th, to be present, and
he had since been with him. In June
his brother Paul Burcher and wife
and Ronald's close friend Miss Dor
to visit him Paul and wife re.
turned home later in the summer,
but Miss. Campbell remained, and
she and Elder Burcher are accom-
panying home the body which left
San Diego Monday afternoon at 8
O'Clock, and is due to arrive this af
ternOon at $40 in Columbus,
where it will be met by an under
taker and brought to the home of
Mr.. and Mrs. Pidgeon.
Funeral services will be held Fri
day afternoon at 2 O'Clock, at the
Pennsville Church Of Christ, of
which the deceased was a member,
and interment will be in the Penns
vile cemetery, beside the grave Of
his mother.
Besides his father. and brother
Mr. Paul Burcher. who is teacher
grandparents named, the deceased
leaves one sister, Mrs. Fonda f.
Hufford. of Newcastle, Ind; his un-
Gle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs Howard
A. Pidgeon and aunt Mrs. Anna Van
Fossen, all of Pennsville. His pa
ternal GRANDPARENTS were Mr.. and
Mrs R. L. Burcher, late of Wolf
Creek, parents and grandparents be-
ing among the prominent citizens of
the county.
When lRonald was yet in Penns-
vile high school, the writer of this
became keenly interested in him.
We felt that we saw in this fine, up
right clean, scholarly young man,
brilliant future. 1t was a happy
moment of our life when we learned
of his appointment to Annapolis.
and it was with keen interest that
we followed his career. We do not
hesitate in terming him as one of
the very best and finest young men
we ever knew. We visualize him as
an ideal young man, and in his
death we. feel a real personal loss.