Claude Lerch Burnham Jr., dedicated family man
Claude Lerch “Skip” Burnham, Jr., 78, of Milton, passed away peacefully at home Wednesday, July 6, 2022, after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
He was born in Texas when his father was stationed at Fort Sam Houston and he liked to tell people he was from Texas even though everyone knew in his heart and soul he was truly from Milton. His grandmother bought him an infant sailor suit with the word Skipper embroidered on it, and the nickname Skip stuck after that.
After graduating from Milton High School in 1962, he joined the U.S. Air Force and worked as a radar navigation specialist for countermeasure planes, serving in the Vietnam War while stationed at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base.
Skip married Fay Murray June 5, 1966, at Zion United Methodist Church in Milton. Skip has always said Fay was the best thing to ever happen to him. They celebrated 56 years of their happy marriage in June 2022, and together enjoyed many special memories, vacations and family events.
After his military career, Skip worked a brief time as a surveyor for the State of Delaware. With his father and uncle, Skip was one of the proprietors of Milton Sausage and Scrapple Company, where he worked from 1967 until 2002, expanding the business into restaurants and focusing on mom-and-pop grocery markets in southern Delaware. He would occasionally drive the delivery truck himself, just so he could personally say hello to his patrons all over the region. Upon retirement from Milton Sausage and Scrapple, he became a realtor for Long & Foster and ReMax.
Besides spending time with his wife and family, Skip was a passionate bass fisherman and competed in tournaments, earning awards and state records; he was proud to have been named Delaware’s Mr. Bass in 1995.
Skip was a dedicated family man; he spent summers fishing and boating with his grandkids, going to the beach, shopping yard sales for toys, watching Star Wars movies on repeat, and later challenging his grandsons at poker. He loved when they came to visit and during his later years, asked frequently when they were coming to visit next. He was an avid reader, a very good puzzler, from crosswords to Sudoku, and a strategic game player - hard to beat.
Skip loved the town of Milton. He was an active member of the Milton Lions Club, past master of Endeavor Lodge 17, A.F. and A.M. in Milton, and Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Milton. He was an avid Boy Scout, and as a parent, he volunteered as a den leader and helped to build a boy scout camp on Diamond Pond. He also enjoyed coaching many years for each of his kids’ Milton Little League teams.
Skip spoke fondly about many childhood memories growing up in southern Delaware, including sledding on the hill by the Milton library, fishing in Wagamons Pond, going to movies at old Milton Theatre, dancing on Rehoboth Boardwalk and lifeguarding in Dewey Beach. As a Boy Scout, he loved going to the annual Boy Scout Jamboree.
As a teenager, he drove a 1962 Austin-Healey that he was known to drag race in Georgetown. He was proud of his high school basketball program and was part of the first Milton boys’ basketball team to ever win the Henlopen Conference tournament title.
Skip loved music and knew every lyric to all the oldies, especially those by Elvis, Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles and Neil Diamond.
Skip was predeceased by his parents, Claude L. Sr. and Margaret Mackey; his sister, Charlotte; and his son, Jeffrey Claude. He is survived by his wife, Fay; his brother Gregg and wife Gail; his son, Mike and wife Karen; his daughter, Cindy and husband Brent; his daughter-in-law, Tammy; his sister-in-law, Kay; and his grandchildren, Sean, Mitchell, Sienna, Anthony, Liliana, Susie and Thomas; as well as many loved cousins, nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 16, at Goshen United Methodist Church, 103 Mulberry St., Milton, with a Celebration of Life service at 1 p.m. Interment will follow at Odd Fellows Cemetery, Milton.
The family suggests contributions in Skip’s memory to Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963, or Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601, both of which were helpful to the family on Skip’s journey.
Arrangements in the care of Short Funeral Services, Milton.
Online condolences may be submitted to shortfuneralservicesandcremation.com.
