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Submitted: 10/8/23 • Approved: 10/9/23 • Last Updated: 10/12/23 • R450432-G450432-S3
Clovis
August 10, 1931 - June 18, 2020
Pearl
October 30, 1930 - November 3, 2008
Shreveport - Memorial services for Shreveport businessman, civic, and religious leader, Clovis S. Burch, 88, will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, in the Sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Shreveport, 543 Ockley Drive. Officiating will be Dr. Jeff Raines of First Baptist Church. Visitation will be held from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22, at Osborn Funeral Home, 3631 Southern Avenue, Shreveport, LA.
Clovis lost his battle with cancer on June 18, 2020. He was born on August 10, 1931, to Olean Smith Burch and Leeman Burch and grew up on his family farm in northeast Mississippi. As a boy Clovis loved the farm, and as he grew to manhood, that love only grew stronger. Regardless of where life took him, he always returned to that farm, and was still traveling there, to bush hogg his beloved land shortly before his death.
Clovis met Pearl Markham when they were students at Itawamba Community College and transferred to Ole Miss. They were married in 1953 while still students there. They raised four sons, Mark, Alan, David, and Paul.
After graduating from college, he moved to Shreveport and began working at Lewis Pharmacy. In 1955, he was commissioned as a U.S. Air Force officer and served as a medical administrative officer for two years before retiring as a Captain.
Following his military service, Clovis worked for Eli Lilly as a sales representative, was offered a position as a pharmacy manager/owner with Shreveport's Medic Pharmacy. Over the next sixty-plus years, he grew the business into a chain of 21 Medic locations in Shreveport and Bossier. Innovations in the pharmaceutical industry prompted Clovis to expand into specialty compounding. He was the recipient of the Bowl of Hygeia Award for Louisiana, recognizing his outstanding community pharmacy service. Until June of this year, Clovis worked at the business every day.
A member of First Baptist Church for six decades, Clovis served as a deacon, a member of the finance committee, and was on the original board of trustees for the creation of First Baptist Church School.
Clovis was a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Shreveport and Shreveport-Bossier Executive Association. In 1980, he was appointed to serve a six-year term on the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy by then Gov. Dave Treen. He was reappointed by Treen's successor, Gov. Buddy Roemer, and appointed to another six-year term in 1998 by then Gov. Edwin Edwards.
Clovis was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Pearl Markham Burch. He is survived by their four sons, John Markham Burch and wife, Carol, of Chapel Hill, NC, James Alan Burch, David Stanley Burch and wife, Joni, and Paul Michael Burch, all of Shreveport; four grandchildren, Mason Lee Burch, Emily Elizabeth Burch, Benjamin Clark Burch, and Sara Elizabeth Burch; his siblings, Carolyn Harris, Martha Tubb, and Lee Thomas Burch and wife, Eugenia. In addition, he leaves cherished friend and companion of 12 years, Sandra May; dedicated office manager of 38 years, Lynn Reynolds; old-time friends, Theresa King Sledge and husband, Jim; and numerous friends and customers.
Honorary pallbearers will be the Deacons of First Baptist Church.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Doctors Eric Smith and Christopher Snead; pharmacist, Gus Hamdan; Christus Schumpert, and Christus Cancer Center.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, the American Cancer Society or a charity of donor's choice.
Contributed on 10/8/23 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 450432