A memorial and tribute to a great leader and friend of the American Democracy Project,

Dr. Barbara Burch (August 21, 1938 – January 5, 2020)

Introduction

This memorial project, like so many other things, started in an unplanned way. Felice Nudelman and I, mourning the loss of our dear friend Barbara Burch, thought about what we might do to commemorate her life. She asked if I would write something about Barbara and her life of service. Because I wanted to capture memories from those whom she had inspired and helped, I reached out to three friends: David Lee, Molly Kerby, and Paul Markham. All three had or do work at Western Kentucky University; all three had been mentored by Barbara. I felt like their comments would be the truest representation of Barbara’s legacy. I would simply add my perspective, sometimes keying off their perspectives.