Michael Merle Burr

Michael Merle Burr passed away at his home with his family by his side December 25, 2024. He bravely battled numerous complications from multiple knee surgeries over his lifetime. Mike was born October 14, 1943 to Merle Eugene and Beulah Mae Burr, in Benkelman, Nebraska. Benkelman had the closest hospital to Bird City, Kansas where his family farmed. As a young teen, the family moved to Aurora, Colorado. He did not like living and going to school in the city but he did enjoy riding city buses to the museums and the Denver zoo. His heart was in farming and every summer he returned to Bird City to work on farms. He also enjoyed riding race horses at county fairs and participating in rodeos. During his senior year of high school he stayed with his Aunt and Uncle, Lyle and Dora Seymour and cousins Cathy and Pat, graduating from Bird City High School in 1961. Following graduation he joined the Coast Guard and was stationed in Alameda, California. While in the Coast Guard he enjoyed being on the Pistol Team and won several medals. He also competed in rodeos where his favorite event was saddle bronc riding. He married Mary Lou Leahigh and they were blessed with two children, Woodson and Bonnie. After his discharge from the Coast Guard, Mike worked with his stepfather in the convenience store business. As a regional manager he oversaw over 40 locations. His people skills really shone through and he liked to say he could let someone go (re them) and make them feel good about it. The Handy Pantry locations were eventually sold to Circle K. After the stores sold he moved to Colorado and worked in mines near Empire and Ridgeway. When he tired of mining he started several successful businesses including a guiding and outtting business. He was especially passionate about elk hunting. Highlights of his hunting experiences included elk hunting trips on the White Mountain Apache Reservation and a trophy deer hunt with his son. His custom home building business, Red Mountain Homes of Montrose, Colorado was building a duplex in Edwards, Colorado in 1980 when he met Jeanne Shortell. They married in 1981 and moved to Rie, Colorado where they bought an old farmhouse on ve acres that Mike remodeled. At that time they had horses and Jeanne talked him into trying English riding and jumping. He enjoyed everything about jumping and riding cross country except the "outt." A trip to Arizona in 1982 to visit Jeanne's parents sparked an interest in golf. Rie had a 9-hole municipal course where they both developed a passion for golf. In 1986 they moved to a brand new golf course outside Show Low, Arizona and built the second home at Silver Creek Golf Club. Mike and a partner started Silver Creek Custom Homes and later he helped start Silver Creek Electric, Inc. Eventually he became the sole owner of the electrical company wiring countless homes on reservations both in Arizona and New Mexico along with numerous custom homes and small commercial jobs in northeastern Arizona. Mike retired in 2009 and bought a winter home in Gold Canyon, Arizona where he and Jeanne enjoyed playing lots of golf at Gold Canyon Golf Resort. During his lifetime he made two double eagles, six hole-in-ones and one "hole-in-three (rst ball in the water, tee up a second and hit it in the hole). In 2015 they moved to Wickenburg Ranch and became the rst proprietary golf members at the brand new golf development. Mike is survived by his wife, Jeanne; son Woody (Jana) Burr, daughter Bonnie (Nick) Ladage; four grandchildren Brenden (Cait), Miranda, Joshua (Ashley) and Michaela; and two great grandchildren, Brayden and Azelia. He also leaves behind his sister Susan Burr (Buzz Breedlove) and brother-in-law Mike (Debbie) Shortell along with many cousins, nieces and nephews, numerous friends and his faithful dog Buster. The family is planning a celebration of life in the spring.
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