Richard Alton Burchard

Richard Alton Burchard, 36, of Guys Mills, who was injured in a three-vehicle crash on Route 27 early Friday morning, died Sunday, November 1, 1959 at Hamot Hospital in Erie.

Burchard had been in critical condition with a crushed chest at Titusville Hospital where X-rays showed multiple chest injuries.  He then was transferred to Hamot Hospital.

Burchard was a passenger in a car driven by Harold W. Seber, Guys Mills, who was blinded by the rising sun and reportedly struck the rear of a tractor-trailer which had pulled off the road as far as possible.

A car following then hit Seber.  Seber and two other persons were injured besides Burchard.

Burchard had lived all but six years of his life in Guys Mills.

He was born in Meadville, February 17, 1923, a son of W. Charles and Marion Graham Burchard.  He was married to the former June A. Olson on December 1, 1945.

He was employed at Skyline Industries, Titusville, for the past three years and previously employed at the former Moore's Dairy.

Burchard was a member of Guy Mills Congregational Church, a graduate of Randolph East Mead High School where he starred in basketball and was outstanding as an athlete.  He was a member of Randolph Volunteer Fire Department and was a lieutenant and served as a pilot in the Air Force during World War II.  He received  his wings at Elon College, South Carolina, in 1944.

Surviving are his widow, two daughters, Billie Jeanne and Bonnie Lou; two sons, David and Timothy, all at home; his parents of Guys Mills; three brothers, Charles Alden, Jack Gordon and James Lee, all of Guys Mills.

Services were held at Waid Funeral Home.

Interment was in Union Cemetery, Guys Mills.