April 26, 2008      

WATERTOWN, N.Y.  —  Charles Bura, 93, of Myrtle Avenue, died Friday at Samaritan Medical Center after a brief illness.

The funeral will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Reed & Benoit Funeral Home with Rev. Fred Garry, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Brookside Cemetery. Calling hours are 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. 

Born Feb. 12, 1915, in Fulton, a son of John and Maria Costa Bura, he graduated from Watertown High School in 1934.  

Mr. Bura served with the 10^th Armored, Company G, 157^th Infantry, U.S. Army from July 1942 to September 1945. He fought during the “Battle of the Bulge” in the Ardennes, Central Europe, Rhineland Theatre of Operations. 

Following his honorable discharge from the Army, Mr. Bura returned to Watertown and went to work for the New York Central Railroad, Penn Central, and retired from Conrail in 1975 after 30 years of service.  He started as a telegraph agent with the railroad, later becoming a traveling agent and retired as train master and dispatcher. 

Mr. Bura married Cora Hughes on Dec. 8, 1945, at First Baptist Church. Mrs. Bura is a retired elementary teacher in the General Brown School District. 

He was a member of the First Baptist Church, the International Telecommunications Union, AARP, an associate member of the New York State Retired Teachers Association and a life member of the VFW Post #1400, Watertown.  He enjoyed summers at the lake and traveling. 

Besides his wife, he is survived by 9 nieces and 9 nephews; many great and grand nieces and nephews.  Mr. and Mrs. Bura were “surrogate grandparents” to their neighbors children of 26 years, Rebecca Barney and Jeff Deline. 

He was predeceased by three brothers, Nicholas J., April 1, 1978, George J., May 30, 1999, and Jacob G., Dec. 23, 2007.

 



Information provided by Reed and Benoit Funeral Home and Newzjunky, Watertown, N.Y.