Emma Lee Earnest Burch went home to Heaven to be with her Lord late Friday evening, June 22, 2012, at the Vicksburg Convalescent Home after a lengthy illness, exactly 32 years after her late husband, Cratus H. Burch, who died on June 22, 1980. She was 81.

Mrs. Burch was born in Donalsonville, Ga., raised in Panama City, Fla., and had lived in Vicksburg for the past 45 years. She will forever be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, neighbor and lover of her Lord Jesus Christ and, according to her sons-in-law, her fabulous Southern homestyle cooking offering everyone’s favorites when they came to visit.

Mrs. Burch is survived by four daughters and sons-in-law, Diane Peyton (Ron) of Conway, Ark., and Dale Junkin (Bobby), Tonya Bounds (Ricky) and Tina Curtis (Timmy), all of Vicksburg; 14 grandchildren, Michelle Peyton Robinson (Todd) of Conway, Steven Peyton (Ginny) of Maumelle, Ark., Trina Burch Lent and Tangela Burch Worley (Victor) of Memphis, Tiffany Burch Nichols (Graham) of London, England, Derick, Cory and Amanda Gibson of Vicksburg, Lyndsey Junkin O’Nan (Aaron) and Whitney Junkin of Starkville and Chad Bounds (Alicia), Chandler Bounds, Cameron Curtis and Channing Curtis, all of Vicksburg; and numerous great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother, Harold Earnest (Joann) of Wewahitchka, Fla., and a sister, Chris Morris of Bushnell, Fla.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband; her only son, Cratus Dewayne Burch, and one daughter, Deborah Sharon Burch Gibson, all of Vicksburg; as well as her parents, T. C. and Mary Earnest, and one brother, Gene Earnest of Panama City, Fla.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 26, in the chapel at Riles Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery. A visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Pallbearers will be Steven Peyton, Todd Robinson, Aaron O’Nan, Chad Bounds, Chandler Bounds, Cameron Curtis, Channing Curtis and Dakota Barnes.

Honorary pallbearers will be Ron Peyton, Bobby Junkin, Ricky Bounds and Timmy Curtis.