SALEM, Ohio — Richard L. Burton, 86, of 14223 S. Range Road, Salem, Ohio, died at 1:56 a.m. Dec. 10, 2010, at the Cleveland Clinic.
He was born Dec. 19, 1923, in Goshen Township, Ohio, the son of the late Lester M. and Vida Myrl (Carr) Burton. Mr. Burton had been a beef and hog farmer all his life and owned and operated the Burton Pump Service.
He was a 1941 graduate of Goshen High School and attended Ohio State University in 1942. He enlisted in the U.S. Army during WWII, and served in the field artillery in both France and Germany. He was a 49-year member of the Goshen Center Ruritan Club and was awarded the National Ruritan Federation Tom Downing Fellow Award in 2004.
For serving as president and contributing 21 years of service to the West Branch Board of Education, he was inducted into the West Branch Hall of Fame.
Mr. Burton served on the board of supervisors of the Soil and Water Conservation District in Mahoning County and was a member of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service county committee. He was also a member of the Salem United Commercial Travelers #590. He was also a member of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and the local Pros and Cons Farm Bureau Council.
His wife, Ruth Ann (Miller) Burton, whom he married Sept. 22, 1946, preceded him in death May 7, 2004. Survivors include two daughters, Suzanne Denny of Salem, and Joanne Miller of Salem; two sons, Jim Burton of Salem and Rick Burton of Salem; a sister, Mabel Hutchinson of West Palm Beach, Florida; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Preceding him in death were a brother, Robert Burton, and two sisters, Ruth Perkins and Alma Matiscik.
Services were held Dec. 14 at the Stark Memorial Funeral Home. Burial was at Highland Memorial Park with full military honors provided by the Salem V.F.W. Post 892 and the Salem AMVETS Post 45 Burial Group.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Goshen Butler Community Fund, P.O. Box 33, Damascus, OH 44619.
