Lewis Laroy Burton was born October 25, 1926 in Temple, Oklahoma to parents William Lafayette Burton and Vela Ina Lewis Burton. He was the third of four children: older brother Wendell Burton, sister Lauretta Burton Reynolds, and younger brother, Gail Burton predeceased him.
He attended school in Temple, Oklahoma, played a baritone horn in the band, and graduated high school in 1944. He was inducted into the United States Navy in January 1945. He finished training two weeks after World War II ended and served briefly on three Pacific Islands and six months on Iwo Jima where he was promoted to 3rd Class Petty Officer. He was discharged in July 1946 and joined the inactive Navy Reserve. He attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and in 1961 earned a Master's of Science Degree from Oklahoma State University. In 1951, he was commissioned an Ensign and joined the Active Naval Reserve. He retired from the Navy in 1976 with the rank of Commander.
He worked briefly for Continental Oil Company, then taught Mechanics at Shepherd Air Force Base in Texas before getting his first engineering job with Douglas Aircraft Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he worked 10 years on airplanes and the Delta Space Launch Rocket. While working in Tulsa he met and married Vera Ann Harvison at First Baptist Church. Pastor J. W. Storer, who was then president of the Southern Baptist Convention, performed their wedding ceremony. He was transferred to Santa Monica, California where he worked on rockets and space launch vehicles and advanced into management. One of his great thrills was singing in the 1963 Billy Graham Los Angeles Crusade Choir in the coliseum which set a record attendance recognized by a plaque on the coliseum.
Lewis and Ann's children, daughter Leslie Ann Francis and son Lee Alan Burton, were born in California. They wanted to rear their children elsewhere so he resigned his position and took a job with Boeing on Saturn Apollo moon missions in Huntsville, Alabama. After the Saturn moon missions were completed he was transferred to Wichita, Kansas where he completed his 21 years with Boeing that involved a 14-month intermission working for Cessna Aircraft, engineering the Citation II airplane.
He took great joy in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his church. He has served as Deacon Chairman, Sunday School Teacher and Director, church choir member and has served on many church committees and ministries throughout his adult life. He organized the Widows Ministry and the Job Seekers Ministry at The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson, Texas. One of his greatest blessings was to be part of a men's prayer group which met weekly. He served for many years as a volunteer chaplain at Methodist Richardson Hospital. After reading Dr. Cooper's Aerobics, he began jogging and continued aerobic exercises and walking throughout his life. He was also a beloved grandfather of five grandchildren: Ann and Nicole (daughters of Leslie and husband Brian Francis) and Mark, Frances, and John (children of Lee and wife Cricket Burton).
He attended school in Temple, Oklahoma, played a baritone horn in the band, and graduated high school in 1944. He was inducted into the United States Navy in January 1945. He finished training two weeks after World War II ended and served briefly on three Pacific Islands and six months on Iwo Jima where he was promoted to 3rd Class Petty Officer. He was discharged in July 1946 and joined the inactive Navy Reserve. He attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and in 1961 earned a Master's of Science Degree from Oklahoma State University. In 1951, he was commissioned an Ensign and joined the Active Naval Reserve. He retired from the Navy in 1976 with the rank of Commander.
He worked briefly for Continental Oil Company, then taught Mechanics at Shepherd Air Force Base in Texas before getting his first engineering job with Douglas Aircraft Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he worked 10 years on airplanes and the Delta Space Launch Rocket. While working in Tulsa he met and married Vera Ann Harvison at First Baptist Church. Pastor J. W. Storer, who was then president of the Southern Baptist Convention, performed their wedding ceremony. He was transferred to Santa Monica, California where he worked on rockets and space launch vehicles and advanced into management. One of his great thrills was singing in the 1963 Billy Graham Los Angeles Crusade Choir in the coliseum which set a record attendance recognized by a plaque on the coliseum.
Lewis and Ann's children, daughter Leslie Ann Francis and son Lee Alan Burton, were born in California. They wanted to rear their children elsewhere so he resigned his position and took a job with Boeing on Saturn Apollo moon missions in Huntsville, Alabama. After the Saturn moon missions were completed he was transferred to Wichita, Kansas where he completed his 21 years with Boeing that involved a 14-month intermission working for Cessna Aircraft, engineering the Citation II airplane.
He took great joy in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his church. He has served as Deacon Chairman, Sunday School Teacher and Director, church choir member and has served on many church committees and ministries throughout his adult life. He organized the Widows Ministry and the Job Seekers Ministry at The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson, Texas. One of his greatest blessings was to be part of a men's prayer group which met weekly. He served for many years as a volunteer chaplain at Methodist Richardson Hospital. After reading Dr. Cooper's Aerobics, he began jogging and continued aerobic exercises and walking throughout his life. He was also a beloved grandfather of five grandchildren: Ann and Nicole (daughters of Leslie and husband Brian Francis) and Mark, Frances, and John (children of Lee and wife Cricket Burton).
Lewis Laroy Burton was born October 25, 1926 in Temple, Oklahoma to parents William Lafayette Burton and Vela Ina Lewis Burton. He was the third of four children: older brother Wendell Burton, sister Lauretta Burton Reynolds, and younger brother, Gail Burton predeceased him.
He attended school in Temple, Oklahoma, played a baritone horn in the band, and graduated high school in 1944. He was inducted into the United States Navy in January 1945. He finished training two weeks after World War II ended and served briefly on three Pacific Islands and six months on Iwo Jima where he was promoted to 3rd Class Petty Officer. He was discharged in July 1946 and joined the inactive Navy Reserve. He attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and in 1961 earned a Master's of Science Degree from Oklahoma State University. In 1951, he was commissioned an Ensign and joined the Active Naval Reserve. He retired from the Navy in 1976 with the rank of Commander.
He worked briefly for Continental Oil Company, then taught Mechanics at Shepherd Air Force Base in Texas before getting his first engineering job with Douglas Aircraft Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he worked 10 years on airplanes and the Delta Space Launch Rocket. While working in Tulsa he met and married Vera Ann Harvison at First Baptist Church. Pastor J. W. Storer, who was then president of the Southern Baptist Convention, performed their wedding ceremony. He was transferred to Santa Monica, California where he worked on rockets and space launch vehicles and advanced into management. One of his great thrills was singing in the 1963 Billy Graham Los Angeles Crusade Choir in the coliseum which set a record attendance recognized by a plaque on the coliseum.
Lewis and Ann's children, daughter Leslie Ann Francis and son Lee Alan Burton, were born in California. They wanted to rear their children elsewhere so he resigned his position and took a job with Boeing on Saturn Apollo moon missions in Huntsville, Alabama. After the Saturn moon missions were completed he was transferred to Wichita, Kansas where he completed his 21 years with Boeing that involved a 14-month intermission working for Cessna Aircraft, engineering the Citation II airplane.
He took great joy in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his church. He has served as Deacon Chairman, Sunday School Teacher and Director, church choir member and has served on many church committees and ministries throughout his adult life. He organized the Widows Ministry and the Job Seekers Ministry at The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson, Texas. One of his greatest blessings was to be part of a men's prayer group which met weekly. He served for many years as a volunteer chaplain at Methodist Richardson Hospital. After reading Dr. Cooper's Aerobics, he began jogging and continued aerobic exercises and walking throughout his life. He was also a beloved grandfather of five grandchildren: Ann and Nicole (daughters of Leslie and husband Brian Francis) and Mark, Frances, and John (children of Lee and wife Cricket Burton).
He attended school in Temple, Oklahoma, played a baritone horn in the band, and graduated high school in 1944. He was inducted into the United States Navy in January 1945. He finished training two weeks after World War II ended and served briefly on three Pacific Islands and six months on Iwo Jima where he was promoted to 3rd Class Petty Officer. He was discharged in July 1946 and joined the inactive Navy Reserve. He attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and in 1961 earned a Master's of Science Degree from Oklahoma State University. In 1951, he was commissioned an Ensign and joined the Active Naval Reserve. He retired from the Navy in 1976 with the rank of Commander.
He worked briefly for Continental Oil Company, then taught Mechanics at Shepherd Air Force Base in Texas before getting his first engineering job with Douglas Aircraft Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he worked 10 years on airplanes and the Delta Space Launch Rocket. While working in Tulsa he met and married Vera Ann Harvison at First Baptist Church. Pastor J. W. Storer, who was then president of the Southern Baptist Convention, performed their wedding ceremony. He was transferred to Santa Monica, California where he worked on rockets and space launch vehicles and advanced into management. One of his great thrills was singing in the 1963 Billy Graham Los Angeles Crusade Choir in the coliseum which set a record attendance recognized by a plaque on the coliseum.
Lewis and Ann's children, daughter Leslie Ann Francis and son Lee Alan Burton, were born in California. They wanted to rear their children elsewhere so he resigned his position and took a job with Boeing on Saturn Apollo moon missions in Huntsville, Alabama. After the Saturn moon missions were completed he was transferred to Wichita, Kansas where he completed his 21 years with Boeing that involved a 14-month intermission working for Cessna Aircraft, engineering the Citation II airplane.
He took great joy in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his church. He has served as Deacon Chairman, Sunday School Teacher and Director, church choir member and has served on many church committees and ministries throughout his adult life. He organized the Widows Ministry and the Job Seekers Ministry at The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson, Texas. One of his greatest blessings was to be part of a men's prayer group which met weekly. He served for many years as a volunteer chaplain at Methodist Richardson Hospital. After reading Dr. Cooper's Aerobics, he began jogging and continued aerobic exercises and walking throughout his life. He was also a beloved grandfather of five grandchildren: Ann and Nicole (daughters of Leslie and husband Brian Francis) and Mark, Frances, and John (children of Lee and wife Cricket Burton).
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