Dates
Harold John Burre was born in Leavenworth, Kansas on February 26, 1933 and passed in San Angelo, Texas on December 14, 2020 due to complications from Covid-19 (stricken with silent hypoxia while tending to his outdoor plants). His parents were John and Edna (Krekeler) Burre of Leavenworth, KS with a family fruit-growing operation, particularly apples and peaches.
He was the first member of the family to be college-educated with him being commissioned into the United States Air Force upon graduation from Kansas State University in 1955. He completed his pilot training in 1956 at Webb AFB, Big Spring, Texas.
While finishing college, Harold married his high school sweetheart Lila Lake (also of Leavenworth) a week after first visiting San Angelo for the first time in 1954 while on an AFROTC excursion to Goodfellow AFB when it was still a flying training base. Harold retired as a Major in 1975 after 20 years of service in the Air Force with Goodfellow being his last assignment after returning from Iraklion AB, Crete, Greece, with travels around the country and the world in that career.
Under the mentorship of Steve Stewart, Harold began a long and successful career as a realtor and property manager in San Angelo where he was honored to serve the needs of numerous people and welcoming newcomers to San Angelo...a career he pursued well into his 80s.
As a boy growing up in Kansas, Harold achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, later saw his son Steve reach that same goal and assisted Scoutmaster J.T. Henderson (Troop 1 in San Angelo) in taking scouts on adventures such as canoe trips in Canada and floating down the Rio Grande in Big Bend on rafts.
Harold and Lila travelled the country extensively in their motor home, accompanied by their Silky Terrier companions, and were able to visit all 50 states (many multiple times) and visit most all of our beautiful National Parks. Harold also enjoyed fishing excursions with his Kansas relatives to places such as Minnesota, Alaska and the Green River, Utah.
Preceding him in death were his parents, an older sister Carol Lee Burre Orlowski and son Mark. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Lila Burre of San Angelo, TX, son Steve Burre and daughter-in-law Sheryl Blaylock-Burre of Weatherford, TX, cousins David and Charlie Burre as well as his two loving Silky Terriers Willie and Annie.
A visitation honoring Harold’s Life will be held at Harper Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 29, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. A graveside service with the Goodfellow AFB honor guard will be held at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens on Wednesday, December 30 to 2:00 PM.
The family thanks Shannon Medical Center for helping him put up a heroic fight against this terrible disease that has affected so many over the past year. Suggested recipient for donations: West Texas Boys Ranch.