Gloria Mae Dobrovolny Burch

Our precious Mother, Grandmother, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Cousin and Friend, Gloria Mae Dobrovolny Burch, age 90, passed away Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at home in San Antonio, TX.

Graveside Services will be held 10:00 a.m., Thursday, October 22, at Oakwood Cemetery, Waco TX.

She was born December 10, 1935, in Breckenridge, TX, to Virginia Ruth (Cranford) and William James Dobrovolny. After a few relocations, the family settled in Waco, TX, where she grew up with her older sister, Billie Ruth.

She graduated from Waco High School in 1953. After marrying in 1954, she raised a family with three children, mostly in San Antonio. She did all the typical and extra “non-typical” mother “stuff”, not only with her children but with any others that wandered in! All while also working for the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio for 30+ years, retiring as Payroll Supervisor.

She was strong in her faith and was a Member of Trinity Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir. She would later attend Northeast Baptist Church and The Fellowship of San Antonio.

She had wonderful stories about her life memories. She was proud of being the “tom boy” daughter including her “Evel Knievel”-like exploits on a tricycle and her help in cleaning doves and fish harvested by her Daddy, with whom she was very close. She would tell of her pet duck, Oswald, chasing Billie Ruth around the yard.

She was proud of her parents and their families in the Commerce, TX and Bryan, TX areas and enjoyed visiting there. There were some wonderful trips to Bryan where she would listen to her grandparents and other family members speak Czech and eat their handmade kolaches.

She loved everything Texas A&M and had a wonderful story about sitting in the open window of the Married Student Housing, on campus, and listening to the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band practice in the mornings. A passionate Aggie and Dallas Cowboy (in the good ole days) football fan, she actually understood the game!

She enjoyed going on trips with her family, including hunting, fishing, camping and skiing trips. She camped under the stars, in a fold out tent camper and travel trailer at the family property in Burnet County, the coast and state parks. Trips were made to Chicago, IL and then to St. Petersburg (Pete) Beach, FL to visit her sister and brother-in-law and their family. She even joined a Church group trip to Czechoslovakia!

She had card game nights with family friends, danced to famous musicians at several local San Antonio dancehalls and became a prodigious “crossworder” in her retirement years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Virginia and William, her cherished daughter, Cynthia (Cindy) Diane Burch and her sister and brother-in-law, Billie Ruth and John Julian Gill.

She is survived by sons, John David of Big Spring, TX, and Larry Dale of San Antonio; grandsons, Brandon James Burch, Bryan Raynor Burch and their mother, Marlene, all of San Antonio; nieces, Linda Ruth Gill of Monrovia, CA and Sara Mortensen Spreen of San Antonio; nephews, John William Gill and wife Lynette of St. Pete Beach, FL and Michael Mortensen of San Antonio; very close friends Betty Puckett, Laquita Wynn and Nancy Mortensen, all of San Antonio; Lianne Coyle of Houston, TX; and other cousins and friends.

Her family and friends would like to express their deepest gratitude to Dr. Gabriel Ortiz and staff member Destiny; Compassus – San Antonio staff including, Taneshia, Carolyn, Phil, Karen, Natasha and others; and Caring Senior Services – San Antonio staff, including Susie and Grace, for their exceptional, faithful and loving care of Gloria.

In lieu of flowers, the family strongly urges that memorials be made to The San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind, 2305 Roosevelt Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78210.

The family invites you to leave a message or memory of Gloria on our "Tribute Wall" at www.WHBfamily.com.