Charles Zane Burchett, 74, went to his heavenly home on Monday, March 13, 2023.
Funeral services will be 3:00pm on Sunday, March 19th, 2023 at First Baptist Church in Kirbyville under the direction of Adams EE Stringer Funeral Home of Kirbyville.
He was born in Dallas, Texas to Dorothy and Zane Burchett on February 9, 1949. Charles grew up in Pleasant Grove with his two brothers and two sisters where eventually he was graduated from W.W. Samuel High School.
After being recruited by several large universities, he settled on Jacksonville Baptist College where he earned a basketball scholarship. Why would such a talented athlete who had the opportunity to play for a large university choose a small Baptist College? The answer to that question is… It was there in Jacksonville, Texas that he met the love of his life, Beverly Ann Batis, and served as youth director at Central Baptist Church, his first ministry opportunity. Charles and Beverly married June 27, 1969 while Charles was attending Stephen F. Austin University where he was graduated.
Charles received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord at the age of nine at First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. As a young man of 17, God called him to be a pastor. This decision led to his being licensed to the ministry in April of 1967 and ordained to the gospel ministry in 1974. To further prepare to fullfill the call of ministry, Charles attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a master of divinity on May 14, 1976.
While Charles was attending Southwestern Seminary, he was a staff member of First Baptist Church of Dallas. It was during this time that their son, Hunter Criswell was born in 1974. Charles and Beverly, then moved to Newport News, Virginia where he was co-pastor of Hilton Baptist Church. This is where their daughter, Karis Aren, was born.
With a three year old and a newborn, the family moved to Clearwater, Florida so that Charles could be a pastor of a new mission church, CountrySide Baptist Church. Charles’s final ministry move was to Kirbyville, Texas as pastor of First Baptist Church, where he concluded his 43 years of ministry by transitioning to heaven at his death.
Charles went to heaven from Magnolia Hunting Club, where he began sharing his love of hunting with his son and daughter which later included his son-in-law and grandchildren. He also was an avid outdoorsmen who enjoyed all kinds of hunting, white water canoeing, and snow skiing adventures. However, these did not compare to his passion for the Word, worship, intercession, equipping his church family and serving Jesus through his community. Charles had the heart of Jesus when it came to his wife, children, and grandchildren. He always put them first and was their greatest encourager.
Life changed including ministry direction when in 2005 hurricane Rita’s eye passed directly over Kirbyville, Texas. Charles always believed that being the hands and feet of Jesus extended beyond the church walls. With the devastation of Rita, Charles and Beverly jumped in with both feet to respond to the devastation that Rita brought to the Jasper/Newton County area. That was the beginning of Charles' involvement in disaster management.
Another life changing event was the death of James Byrd. Charles had always been a proponent of justice, but this propelled him into the ministry of reconciliation. Since a little boy, Charles always fought for the underdog and the down and out. This warrior spirit continued on as he grew up into fighting for the life of the unborn, the just treatment of all people, taking care of the widows and the orphans, and praying for God’s kingdom to come not only to his community but in the state of Texas and the Nation. He was a man of prayer, God’s word, and a hot hearted worshiper of Jesus.
Charles was a man of honor, integrity and service. Everyone who knew him agreed that he was exactly who he said he was. He accomplished so many great things that will live on as seen in the following list of leadership positions.
55 years in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ
53 years married to Beverly Ann (Batis) Burchett
43 years as the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Kirbyville
Prayer Coordinator of the Sabine Valley Baptist Association
Secretary of the Sabine Neches Baptist Area Committee
President of Pray Texas
Texas Coordinator for the United States Spiritual Warfare Network
Advisor for Justice At The Gate
Chairman of the South East Texas Disaster Recovery Group
Member of the 2004 Electoral College of the United States of America
Member of the Texas Advisory Committee of the United States Commission on Civil Rights
Member of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the General Land Office of Texas
Director of Somebody Cares Jasper/Newton Counties and Southeast Texas
Chairman of the JASPER-NEWTON Long Term Recovery Group
Program Director for the Community Emergency Response Teams of
Jasper/Newton/Sabine Counties in the regional Office of Emergency Management
Public Information Officer for the Kirbyville Office of Emergency Management
Chaplain for the Community Emergency Response Teams of
Jasper/Newton/Sabine Counties in the regional Office of Emergency Management
Chaplain for the Kirbyville Police Department
Assignment Secretary of the Deep East Texas Basketball Officials Association
2006 “Citizen of the Year” for the city of Kirbyville
Charles was survived by his beloved wife, Beverly; son, Dr. Hunter Burchett; daughter, Karis Watson and Jesse; sister, Debbie Burchett; brothers, Robert Burchett and Kay; Reggie Burchett; uncle, Shannon Burchett and Kathryn; aunt, Joann Smith; grandchildren, Jonathan Clark and Morgan; David Burchett, Kate Watson, James Burchett, Major Watson, Paul Burchett and Wesley Burchett. He was preceded in death by his parents, Zane and Dorothy Burchett and sister, Elaine Sandlin.