Fr. BurgoonA funeral Mass for Father Charles E. Burgoon was to be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at St. Richard Church in Creve Coeur. Father Burgoon died Oct. 13 at Mother of Good Counsel Home at the age of 80. He was a longtime pastor, high school teacher and administrator and a priest for 55 years.
He was born in St. Louis on Jan. 14, 1939, along with a twin brother Joe, a longtime police detective. He had two other siblings, James and Roseanne Burgoon. He attended McBride High School, St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Cardinal Glennon College and Kenrick Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood on March 14, 1964, by Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter at the St. Louis Cathedral.
Father Burgoon’s first assignment was as assistant pastor at St. Thomas More Parish in Bel-Ridge, and later that year as assistant pastor at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish in St. Louis. In 1965, he began graduate studies at Saint Louis University and was appointed part-time assistant pastor at Annunication Parish in Webster Groves.
Father Burgoon taught at Mercy High School, then was appointed administrator at DeAndreis High School and later Mercy. During that time, he was also assigned as part-time associate pastor at St. Barbara Parish in St. Louis in 1969, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in St. Louis in 1970, St. Mary Magdalen in Brentwood in 1973, St. Joseph in Clayton in 1974, and St. Catherine of Siena in Pagedale in 1978.
In 1979, he was named administrator of St. Dominic High School in what was then the rural area of O’Fallon, while serving as administrator of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in New Melle. In 1982, he was appointed pastor of St. Gregory Parish in St. Ann, and in 1987, added the duties as dean of the Northwest County Deanery. In 1991, he was named pastor of St. Gabriel Parish in St. Louis, and became pastor of St. Richard Parish in Creve Coeur in 2006. He again served as dean of the Northwest County Deanery while at St. Richard. He was also a spiritual director at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Shrewsbury. In 2014, he retired, with residence at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in University City. He was most recently living at Mother of Good Counsel Home.
In a 2004 story in the Review, Father Burgoon described the priesthood as “a wonderful way to spend your life.” He also said his years of serving in Catholic education was an opportunity for numerous “blessings in disguise,” having the chance to “touch a lot of people’s lives in the classroom.” He was known by many for his pastoral care, including visiting people in the hospital, nursing homes or those who were homebound. He had a great memory, always remembering a person’s face or a name.
Survivors include his brother, Joe Burgoon; and sister, Roseanne Burgoon. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery.