My Dad was the eldest child of William and Gladys (Snellenberger) Burton. He was born and grew up in the steel town of Canton, Ohio. After attending Kent State University for a brief period, Dad went into the Army. He was sent to the Army Finance School in St. Louis, then shipped overseas to Germany, and was honorably discharged in June of 1952.
Both his father and grandfather worked for Timken Roller Bearing Company, and the steel business seemed to be in Dad's blood. After marrying my Mom in 1952, he went to work for Macomber Steel in Canton, first as a draftsman and then as a salesman. He was transferred from Canton to Indianapolis, Indiana for several years beginning in 1961, and transferred back to Canton in 1964. He became Director of Marketing at Macomber.
In 1966, Dad left Macomber, moved back to Indianapolis, and formed Burton Structural Systems, which sold steel decking and joists throughout the Midwest, specializing in school buildings. Despite Dad's hard work in building a successful company, in the mid-1970s he couldn't compete with foreign steel being "dumped" on the US market and closed his company in 1977.
The family moved briefly to Carmel, Indiana, and then Mom and Dad moved to Florida, where he sold real estate (not very successfully, unfortunately). In 1978 they moved back to Indianapolis, and Dad worked as a steel salesman for several steel fabricators.
In April of 1996, Dad was stricken with cancer; a tumor around his spine robbed him of the use of his legs, and the cancer spread to his lungs. He died just two days short of his 68th birthday.
Even though we had our share of contention when I was a teenager, overall he was a good father, and once I became an adult, we became friends as well as father and son. I have many, many fond memories of time we spent together, and with the rest of the family. It brings a smile to my face when I will say something a certain way, or make a gesture, and I think, "That's Dad!"
(Dad was not fond of his "real" name. He was always "Bill" in person, and always signed his name as "B.D. Burton".)
Obituary from the Indianapolis Star:
BILL D. BURTON, 67, Indianapolis died May 28. He was a steel salesman 14 years for Interstate Welding Fabrication Inc., Terre Haute. He was a member of Mystic Tie Masonic Lodge. Memorial contributions may be made to the donor's favorite charity. Memorial services: 10:30 a.m. May 31 in Flanner & Buchanan Lawrence Mortuary. Calling: none. Survivors: wife Barbara A. wonn Burton; children David L., Dean A. Burton, Beth A. Hinton; sister Shirley M. Nesbitt; three grandchildren.
* Thanks to Git 'Er Dug for sponsoring my Dad's memorial *
Both his father and grandfather worked for Timken Roller Bearing Company, and the steel business seemed to be in Dad's blood. After marrying my Mom in 1952, he went to work for Macomber Steel in Canton, first as a draftsman and then as a salesman. He was transferred from Canton to Indianapolis, Indiana for several years beginning in 1961, and transferred back to Canton in 1964. He became Director of Marketing at Macomber.
In 1966, Dad left Macomber, moved back to Indianapolis, and formed Burton Structural Systems, which sold steel decking and joists throughout the Midwest, specializing in school buildings. Despite Dad's hard work in building a successful company, in the mid-1970s he couldn't compete with foreign steel being "dumped" on the US market and closed his company in 1977.
The family moved briefly to Carmel, Indiana, and then Mom and Dad moved to Florida, where he sold real estate (not very successfully, unfortunately). In 1978 they moved back to Indianapolis, and Dad worked as a steel salesman for several steel fabricators.
In April of 1996, Dad was stricken with cancer; a tumor around his spine robbed him of the use of his legs, and the cancer spread to his lungs. He died just two days short of his 68th birthday.
Even though we had our share of contention when I was a teenager, overall he was a good father, and once I became an adult, we became friends as well as father and son. I have many, many fond memories of time we spent together, and with the rest of the family. It brings a smile to my face when I will say something a certain way, or make a gesture, and I think, "That's Dad!"
(Dad was not fond of his "real" name. He was always "Bill" in person, and always signed his name as "B.D. Burton".)
Obituary from the Indianapolis Star:
BILL D. BURTON, 67, Indianapolis died May 28. He was a steel salesman 14 years for Interstate Welding Fabrication Inc., Terre Haute. He was a member of Mystic Tie Masonic Lodge. Memorial contributions may be made to the donor's favorite charity. Memorial services: 10:30 a.m. May 31 in Flanner & Buchanan Lawrence Mortuary. Calling: none. Survivors: wife Barbara A. wonn Burton; children David L., Dean A. Burton, Beth A. Hinton; sister Shirley M. Nesbitt; three grandchildren.
* Thanks to Git 'Er Dug for sponsoring my Dad's memorial *
My Dad was the eldest child of William and Gladys (Snellenberger) Burton. He was born and grew up in the steel town of Canton, Ohio. After attending Kent State University for a brief period, Dad went into the Army. He was sent to the Army Finance School in St. Louis, then shipped overseas to Germany, and was honorably discharged in June of 1952.
Both his father and grandfather worked for Timken Roller Bearing Company, and the steel business seemed to be in Dad's blood. After marrying my Mom in 1952, he went to work for Macomber Steel in Canton, first as a draftsman and then as a salesman. He was transferred from Canton to Indianapolis, Indiana for several years beginning in 1961, and transferred back to Canton in 1964. He became Director of Marketing at Macomber.
In 1966, Dad left Macomber, moved back to Indianapolis, and formed Burton Structural Systems, which sold steel decking and joists throughout the Midwest, specializing in school buildings. Despite Dad's hard work in building a successful company, in the mid-1970s he couldn't compete with foreign steel being "dumped" on the US market and closed his company in 1977.
The family moved briefly to Carmel, Indiana, and then Mom and Dad moved to Florida, where he sold real estate (not very successfully, unfortunately). In 1978 they moved back to Indianapolis, and Dad worked as a steel salesman for several steel fabricators.
In April of 1996, Dad was stricken with cancer; a tumor around his spine robbed him of the use of his legs, and the cancer spread to his lungs. He died just two days short of his 68th birthday.
Even though we had our share of contention when I was a teenager, overall he was a good father, and once I became an adult, we became friends as well as father and son. I have many, many fond memories of time we spent together, and with the rest of the family. It brings a smile to my face when I will say something a certain way, or make a gesture, and I think, "That's Dad!"
(Dad was not fond of his "real" name. He was always "Bill" in person, and always signed his name as "B.D. Burton".)
Obituary from the Indianapolis Star:
BILL D. BURTON, 67, Indianapolis died May 28. He was a steel salesman 14 years for Interstate Welding Fabrication Inc., Terre Haute. He was a member of Mystic Tie Masonic Lodge. Memorial contributions may be made to the donor's favorite charity. Memorial services: 10:30 a.m. May 31 in Flanner & Buchanan Lawrence Mortuary. Calling: none. Survivors: wife Barbara A. wonn Burton; children David L., Dean A. Burton, Beth A. Hinton; sister Shirley M. Nesbitt; three grandchildren.
* Thanks to Git 'Er Dug for sponsoring my Dad's memorial *
Both his father and grandfather worked for Timken Roller Bearing Company, and the steel business seemed to be in Dad's blood. After marrying my Mom in 1952, he went to work for Macomber Steel in Canton, first as a draftsman and then as a salesman. He was transferred from Canton to Indianapolis, Indiana for several years beginning in 1961, and transferred back to Canton in 1964. He became Director of Marketing at Macomber.
In 1966, Dad left Macomber, moved back to Indianapolis, and formed Burton Structural Systems, which sold steel decking and joists throughout the Midwest, specializing in school buildings. Despite Dad's hard work in building a successful company, in the mid-1970s he couldn't compete with foreign steel being "dumped" on the US market and closed his company in 1977.
The family moved briefly to Carmel, Indiana, and then Mom and Dad moved to Florida, where he sold real estate (not very successfully, unfortunately). In 1978 they moved back to Indianapolis, and Dad worked as a steel salesman for several steel fabricators.
In April of 1996, Dad was stricken with cancer; a tumor around his spine robbed him of the use of his legs, and the cancer spread to his lungs. He died just two days short of his 68th birthday.
Even though we had our share of contention when I was a teenager, overall he was a good father, and once I became an adult, we became friends as well as father and son. I have many, many fond memories of time we spent together, and with the rest of the family. It brings a smile to my face when I will say something a certain way, or make a gesture, and I think, "That's Dad!"
(Dad was not fond of his "real" name. He was always "Bill" in person, and always signed his name as "B.D. Burton".)
Obituary from the Indianapolis Star:
BILL D. BURTON, 67, Indianapolis died May 28. He was a steel salesman 14 years for Interstate Welding Fabrication Inc., Terre Haute. He was a member of Mystic Tie Masonic Lodge. Memorial contributions may be made to the donor's favorite charity. Memorial services: 10:30 a.m. May 31 in Flanner & Buchanan Lawrence Mortuary. Calling: none. Survivors: wife Barbara A. wonn Burton; children David L., Dean A. Burton, Beth A. Hinton; sister Shirley M. Nesbitt; three grandchildren.
* Thanks to Git 'Er Dug for sponsoring my Dad's memorial *
