Richard Dean ‘Muddy’ Burks

Richard Dean “Muddy” Burks passed away Saturday, April 30, in Temple after suffering a long illness. According to his wishes, no formal services will be held.

Dick was born Aug. 2, 1955, in Port Arthur to Howard and Movelda (Swopes) Burks.

The Burks family returned to Hamilton in the late 1960s after living in Mississippi for many years. After attending Hamilton High School, Dick worked for KA Sparks then started Eagle Contractors with his soon-to-be father-in-law David Allen. Dick was in the utilities construction business for more than 30 years working primarily with rural water systems. After 2000, he concentrated on residential remodeling. Dick was an avid newspaper reader and enjoyed lively debates over current political and social topics.

Dick married Sharon Allen in the spring of 1980. Dick and Sharon had three children together, a son and two daughters. In the spring of 1995, Dick married Renee Roberts and they had a daughter,

Dick is preceded in death by his father, Howard P. Burks, and first wife, Sharon Allen Burks Thompson.

He is survived by his mother, Velda (Burks) Munday; sister Debra and husband Richard Recindus of Hewitt; brothers Dennis and wife Lu of Hamilton and Don and wife Carrie of Jenks, Oklahoma; stepsister Connie (Munday) and husband Dale Sills of Hamilton; and wife Renee of Hamilton; along with numerous nephews and nieces.

He also is survived by his beloved children and grandchildren, son Zac and wife Kristina of Hamilton; daughters Sasha and husband Chris Davis of Fort Benning, Georgia, Shawnee and husband Tyler Wallace of Turnersville and Nola and husband Chris Hayes of Comanche County; three beautiful granddaughters and a handsome grandson, Layla Davis, Leslie and Lauren Burks and William Wallace.