LISBON, Ohio — Donald D. Burton, 91, passed away peacefully at 1:15 p.m., Oct. 22 with his family by his side following a lengthy illness.
Don was born Dec. 6, 1931, at the family home in Wayne Township. He was the son of the late Donald C. and Anna L. (Wargo) Burton.
A graduate of Lisbon David Anderson High School, Don was a steel worker at the Crucible Steel Mill in Midland, Pennsylvania and farmed his entire life on the family farm in Wayne Township.
He was also a member of the United States Army, serving as a sergeant first class, the second division with the 23rd Infantry Regiment as a gunnery sergeant in the 81st Mortar Platoon, during the Korean War.
He was a lifetime member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Summitville, Ohio, where he served as a former council member. Don was also a licensed Ohio Auctioneer, a former Wayne Township Trustee and a member of Lisbon American Legion Post #275 and the Lisbon VFW Post #4111. Additionally, he was a member of the Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America and he bred and owned Belgian draft horses for 33 years.
Don will be fondly remembered as a draft horse enthusiast and expert plowman, having won several local contests including Mesopotamia, Burton, Augusta and Winona. Many will remember him as the announcer at the Horse Pulls at the Columbiana County Fair for over 20 years, as well as other local pulls and as an exhibitor at the local fairs.
He was a proud 4-H supporter of his granddaughters; was an avid outdoorsman, who enjoyed coon hunting and ice fishing. Don also enjoyed square dancing and listening to a good fiddle tune.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Margaret M. (Yaney) Burton, whom he married on May 12, 1956 at St. John’s Catholic Church. Their marriage blessed them with two daughters, Kathleen A. Burton and Pamela K. (Kenneth) Baer; four sons, Harold Burton, George (Lisa) Burton, James H. (Tina) Burton and Thomas A. Burton, and 6 grandchildren, Ashley (Kyle) Frishkorn, April Burton, Jessica Adams, Holly Baer, Alissa Baer and Sarah Baer.
In addition to his parents, Don was also preceded in death by his brother, Alfred (Joanne) Burton, and by his sisters, Martha Peters and Margaret (Bud) Nichols, and by several nephews.
A funeral mass celebrating Don’s wonderful life will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 28, at St. John’s Catholic Church, 16017 Smith Rd., Summitville, Ohio with the Rev. Father James Lang officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at the Lisbon Cemetery.
The family will receive family and friends from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 27, at the Eells-Leggett-Stauffer Funeral Home in Lisbon and from 10 a.m. until the time of services Saturday, Oct. 28, at the church.
Friends may also view Don’s memorial tribute page, share a memory and leave condolences at www.eells-leggett-stauffer.com.
