Scott David Burton

Burton, Scott David

Age 59, passed away Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at his home in Socorro, NM. He was born in Corpus Christi, TX on December 15, 1957, to James L. and Wanda Bradshaw Burton. His father was a pilot in the U.S. Navy, his mother a capable Navy wife and his big sister of almost four years, Patti, was told that Scott was her Christmas present that year and she loved him from the get go.

The Burton family moved all across the continental United States, across the Pacific to Hawaii, and across the Atlantic to the Netherlands. All that was accomplished before Scott turned seventeen. At age seventeen he joined the U.S. Army in which he proudly served as a Ranger. He was stationed at Fort Lewis, WA and then transferred to Athens, Greece where he was a part of the U.S. Security Force. He was honorably discharged in 1979 as a Sergeant level E5.

Scott loved to travel and to use different skill sets so after his stint in the Army was completed he worked as a lineman in Sheridan, WY, as a painter and in construction in Las Vegas, NV. He had his own painting company in Gillette, WY where his son, Douglas Burton was born. In the mid-1980's, Scott and his father worked together for Western Concrete Production Incorporated (WCPI) where, on a massive scale, Scott did all the computer programming and ordering of materials and timetables and construction crews for several years. Scott and his father later branched out on their own, building quality small affordable houses. Their company was called Burton Homebuilders Inc. (BHI). Including both WCPI and BHI, they built over 500 affordable small houses across Wyoming, Colorado, and Waco and Rockport, TX. Later, Scott went solo with BHI during his Rockport years, then picked up a partner with many skills by the name of Jason Petrie. When they stopped building houses, Scott and Jason did remodeling and excellent cabinetry work.

While a Ranger, Scott made more than 250 (parachute) jumps. As a civilian in painting and construction, hard physical activity was just part of the job. Those years took a toll on his body that began to reap their harvest in his late forties. Scott kept his can-do attitude, perseverance and courage in the face of a myriad of setbacks that would have done in most people.

In 2015 he moved from Rockport to Socorro, NM to be near his friends, Jason and Joy Petrie. The VA services that he needed meant much travel since Socorro was midway between the big hospital in Albuquerque and his primary caregiver at the VA Clinic in Truth or Consequences, NM. He was in the process of moving to Kerrville, TX to be closer to his father and closer to VA services when he passed away.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Wanda Burton, and many loved ones and friends. He is survived by his son, Douglas Scott Burton of Sheridan, WY; his father and stepmother, Jim and Betty Burton of Kerrville, TX; his sister and brother-in-law, Patti and Brad Kremensek of Sheridan, WY; his niece, Kristine Meissner and her family; his niece, Jessie Powers and her family; his "adopted sister", Kristine Fredricks and her family; his "adopted brother and sister-in-law", Jason and Joy Petrie; his "adopted sister", Bette Cutcher and her husband, Bill; and special first cousins in Raleigh, NC who mourn his loss.

Scott will be sorely missed, but Jesus Christ was and is his Savior and Scott is now more whole than ever! He is with his Lord and those loved ones who were a heavenly welcoming committee when Scott joined them on December 6, 2017. There are no services scheduled at this time.