William C. Burry

Col. William C. Burry MD, 91 of Mountainhome, died Wednesday evening, March 12, in Pocono Medical Center, East Stroudsburg, after being stricken at home. He was the husband of Virginia (Swaine) Burry, to whom he was married since Oct. 26, 1940.

Born on Aug. 9, 1911, in Pittsburgh, he was the son of the late Edward J. and Ada (Simon) Burry. He lived in the area since 1940.

A 1933 graduate of Penn State University, he was a member of Sigma Phi Fraternity. He continued his education, graduating from Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia in 1939, where he was a member of AKA Professional Fraternity and AOA Honorary Fraternity. He was a resident at Gorgas Hospital in Panama in 1950, and Army War College in Carlisle in 1958.

He served in the U.S. Armed Services for 38 years. He was the commanding officer of the 94th Medical Gas Treatment Battalion during World War II. He was also a veteran of the Korean Conflict and Vietnam. He worked in the U.S. Surgeon Army Generals Office and served in Berlin, Germany as hospital commander. Rudolph Hess, deputy fuhrer of the Third Reich (prisoner number 7, the sole prisoner in Spandau Prison) was one of his patients.

Col. Burry worked at Tobyhanna Army Depot for five years, and was the physician for Pocono Mountain School District for five years. As a historian, he researched the history of Barrett Township and during that process, put together a slide program which he called "Looking Back on Barrett." The program was placed on video tape and he presented copies of it to Barrett Friendly Library, Monroe County Historical Society, and East Stroudsburg University. He also wrote the history of the 94th Medical Gas Treatment Battalion and Mountainhome United Methodist Church.

Col. Burry was a member and historian of Mountainhome United Methodist Church, Valley of Pittsburgh Consistory, The Shrine in Pittsburgh, Masonic Lodge in Pittsburgh; and life member of Disabled Veterans of Foreign Wars, Thomas P. Lambert Post 2540 Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Evans-Blitz Post 922 American Legion, Canadensis. He was a Fellow of the American Chicago Surgical Society and Philadelphia College of Surgeons.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by three sons, Ronald S. Burry of Mountainhome, William Charles Burry III and his wife, Christine, of Falls Church, Va., and James R. Burry and his wife, Susan, of Soquel, Calif.; three grandchildren; one sister, Jean Patten and her husband, Samuel, of Boyce, Va.; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 17, at Mountainhome United Methodist Church. The Rev. Barbara Housley will officiate. Graveside services with military honors and burial follows in Oakland Cemetery, Mountainhome.

There will be a viewing from 12:30 p.m. until time of the services on Monday at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, RR 2 Box 2138, Stroudsburg, PA 18360; or Pocono Medical Center, 206 E. Brown St., East Stroudsburg, PA 18301.