His obituary shows his services as a country doctor:
William started his medical service to the community in Hickory Nut Gorge in 1953 and moved to the current location in Lake Lure in 1987 where continued to practice medicine until he retired in March 2014.
William was an active community member in the Lake Lure, Chimney Rock and Hickory Nut Gorge communities and was instrumental in forming the fire and rescue volunteer services that are in place today.
His area of services must have been quite rural in 1953. The current population of Lake Lure is only 1,700 people. That 2 lane stretch of road from Fairview to Bat Cave through Hickory Nut Gorge is still not greatly populated. Susan recalled that Dr. Burch ran a "hospital" in the area, which was literally out of his home.
Susan's grandfather Walter Sales had a heart attack in his 50s and was hospitalized there. Susan said at age 9 or 10 she was too young to visit him. Undeterred, she went to his window on the first floor and crawled in to see him. Dr. Burch probably looked the other way, she thought.
Walter was part of the US troops that liberated some of the concentration camps in World War II. Dr. Burch served in both WWII and Korea before returning home. Susan noted that many men of that Greatest Generation did not come home completely healthy from the war experience.
Walter died at the young age of 63. Dr. Burch was probably there.
I'm sure Dr. Burch touched a lot of lives and provided much care to a community that needed the care. It's a good legacy to serve any community for 61 years.
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