Dee Burtch

1895 - 1988
Alcova

Dee Burtch was born in a sheep wagon, on September 22, 1895, in Alcova, in a draw north of the North Platte River. He attended the ranch school for two years then went to the Alcova School for six years. Some sessions of school were only three months long. During WWI Dee intended joining the Army. He rode to Rawlins to catch the train. However, when he got to the train station the sheriff was waiting. Dee’s mother had telegraphed asking to send him to Casper where his father was dying. The sheriff told him that his family needed him more than his country did. His father passed and left him and his mother to raise his four younger brothers. When the Army was buying horses for the Calvary during WWI, the Burtch, Sanford, and Buzzard ranches had a wild horse round up and drive. Dee cut out a black mare from one of the drives. He grabbed a mane hold and rode her to a standstill. In 1922, Dee married Agnes Margrett Moore of Denver. Before marrying he had been mastering his skill with horses. Dee’s work and hobby was riding and breaking horses, specifically cow horses.