The Committee on Architecture for Education is saddened by the death of Lee Burch, a longtime member of our knowledge community.
Arthur Lee Burch, Jr., age 62, of Dayton, TX, died Thursday, October 20, 2011 in Houston. He was born May 22, 1949 in Bryan, TX to Arthur Lee Burch and Martha Meanor Burch. Lee was a long-time resident of Tyler. He spent his formative years involved in sports, church, and Boy Scouts where he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1967 and continued his education at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin, M. A. in Political Science from the University of Texas at Tyler, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University.
In Tyler, Lee became President of architectural firms Burch & Associates and Simon, Burch, Clark, Marris. During those years, he was privileged to work alongside his dad. In 2003 he and his family moved to Houston where he was the National Community College Practice Leader for 3D/International (Parsons) and then Carter & Burgess (Jacobs). Recently, Lee and his family moved to Dayton where he served as President of Burch & Associates and was a Senior Consultant for MGT of America.
A life-long learner, Lee enjoyed networking and collaboration with colleagues. Lee served in leadership positions in a number of professional organizations including the American Association of Community Colleges and the Association of Community College Trustees. He also served on the Houston Community College Foundation Board. In 2004 he was recognized as the International Planner of the Year by the Council of Educational Facilities Planners. As a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) he served on the Committee for Architecture in Education. Recently, Lee served on the Dayton Housing Authority Board. He has been an Adjunct Lecturer for numerous colleges and universities and a presenter at regional and national conferences.
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Jeanne Jackson AIA
VCBO Architecture
Salt Lake City UT
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