John and Julia Burgess and their young sons, John and James, were at an RV park in Ingram when it was swept down the Guadalupe River on July 4.
HOUSTON — Family, friends and community members gathered to remember four members of a Houston-area family who died in the catastrophic Texas Hill Country floods.
Relatives say John and Julia Burgess, of Liberty, were spending the July 4 weekend with their sons, five-year-old Jack and 21-month-old James, at an RV campsite in Ingram. They were sleeping when the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in less than an hour early Friday morning.
The bodies of John and Julia were found within days, but Jack and James have not yet been recovered, so two smaller caskets at the funeral service were empty.
Mourners at St. John the Divine in River Oaks shared fond memories of the Burgess family.
“They were kind and good and loving and full of joy,” one speaker at the funeral said in a eulogy.
“For my precious Julia, for John, for Jack, and for James, what a remarkable trip this has been. Haven’t we made friends? Haven’t we had adventures? Haven’t we loved deeply? Hasn’t it been grand?” Julia’s godmother said.
The couple’s 8-year-old daughter, Jenna, was surrounded by family members at the service. She was at a nearby Hill Country camp that didn’t flood.
John Burgess, 39, was a businessman and the younger brother of country singer Pat Green, who raised more than $1 million at a benefit concert this week.
“John’s boisterous laugh, loving nature, joyful spirit, and fantastic sense of humor lit up every room he entered,” his obituary said.
Julia was a beloved teacher at Liberty Elementary, not far from the family’s home.
“Julia had a passion for helping others and devoted herself to a career in education for over 15 years,” her obituary said. “She was deeply invested in her students, not only in the classroom, but also through various extracurricular activities, including coaching volleyball and the Liberty Prancers dance team.”
Jack is described as “a kind and loving young boy with boundless energy who was intelligent and excelled in school, winning awards for being the outstanding student in language arts, reading, and math in his Pre-Kindergarten class.” He also loved playing Little League baseball and soccer.
James is remembered as “perpetually happy and easy-going no matter the situation.” He filled the family’s hearts and home with joy, according to his obituary.
Both boys adored their big sister and loved chasing the family dog, Daisy.
A trust has been set up to help Jenna. You’ll find more information here.