NORWICH – Thomas E. Burton, 60, a life long Norwich resident and well known area painting contractor, passed away unexpectedly Saturday evening, June 2, 2012 in Dover, Del.
Tom was born in Norwich on Nov. 21, 1951 the son of Harold and Earla Jensen Burton. He was a 1970 graduate of the Norwich High school, had played basketball and football and was a member of the school’s track team. Over the years Tom had worked for the Norwich Knitting Mill and Victory Markets. He worked with his father Harold in the painting business and at the closing of Victory Markets he began his own business, Tom Burton Painting which he was operating at the time of his death.
Tom was an easy-going kind of guy who genuinely liked people and was always ready to help. Good conversations with anyone were part of his normal daily routine. A man who liked to work with kids, he had just recently became a board member of the Norwich Youth Bureau and for the past 2-3 years was helping out at the skating rink on Borden Ave.
It goes without saying that Tom was a lover of any kind of car racing. Stock car, NASCAR, dirt, asphalt you name it, he loved it and his favorite driver was Richie Evans. He was also an avid golfer playing a round any chance he got and maybe sometimes when he shouldn’t have. Tom was also a bowler who had bowled on the Tuesday night league.
Chocolate cake in the house, look out, it was his.
On Oct. 24, 2003, Tom married Vickie White, who survives. Besides his wife Vickie, he is survived by his children; Christina (Christopher) Benson of Rhode Island, Patricia Johnson and her companion David Rowe also of Rhode Island, his step-children Charity (Fred) Mills of Norwich, Christopher (Lisa) Pope of Oxford, Peter Burton of Norwich, Carrie (Dan) Guyer of Columbus, his granddaughter who was his pride and joy Emma Marie Burton, his step-grandchildren Abby, Marah, Sierra, Lelia, Ian, Addison, Graham and Casey. Also surviving are his sisters Rose Worley and fiancee Steve Simpson of Norwich , Laurie Crandall and companion Eric Andrade of Norwich, his brother Robert (Elaine) Burton also of Norwich, his step-sister Bonnie Burton of Oregon, his step-mother Shirley Burton of Norwich and his adopted brother John Vinal. Several nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.
Tom was predeceased by his parents Harold and Earla and his brothers Harold and George.
Funeral services for Tom will be held on Friday at 10 a.m. from the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home. David Law of Norwich will officiate. Interment will follow in the North Norwich Cemetery. Friends may call on Thursday from 1 to 3 and 6 to 9 p.m. at the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home.
Please consider memorial contributions to the City of Norwich Youth Bureau, 1 City Plaza, Norwich, NY 13815 or to the American Heart Assoc. Hearts Gifts Processing Center, P.O.Box 3049, Syracuse, NY 13220-3049.