Burton, Edward Lewis – 1935-2000

ALLAN, BAUDE, BURTON, PEERMAN, REECE, WEIRICK

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 6/20/2025 at 13:43:31

Edward Lewis Burton, a retired high school teacher, manager and industrial training specialist, died Sunday, June 4, 2000 at Boswell Memorial Hospital in Sun City, Arizona, after a long illness. He was 64 and lived in Litchfield Park, Arizona
Ed was born on his family's farm north of Colfax, Iowa, December 8, 1935, to his parents, Harrison and Mary (Turner) Burton. He attended Mingo Consolidated Schools, where he was president of Mingo Future Farmers of America in 1953, a member of the 4-H Club, the boys quartet, boys glee club and mixed chorus. He also participated in band and drama club, was yearbook photographer and drove a school bus. He graduated in 1954.
In 1956, he married Janet Allan of Mingo while both were students at Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He graduated with a bachelor of arts degree I industrial education in 1958.
He began his career as a high school teacher in Iowa, and moved to Illinois and finally to Arizona. He taught such subjects as auto repair, construction, cabinetmaking, plastics, electricity, welding and drivers training in schools in Bondurant, Crawfordsville, Crystal Lake and Keokuk, Iowa, and Oak Park River Forest High school in Oak Park, Illinois.
He received his master of science degree in industrial education in 1970 from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin.
Shortly after that, Ed, his wife and four children moved to Buckeye, Arizona, where he taught vocational education classes at Buckeye Union High School until 1972, when he was named curriculum consultant for the Arizona Department of Education.
Ed also worked at Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant as a fleet manager. Then he became training administrator of electric power operations for Arizona Public Service. During this time, he also taught extension courses through Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University and Rio Salado Community College. He also finished his course work toward a doctorate degree at Arizona State University and received certification in several academic specialties including the A.S.E. automotive technical certification.
In 1991, he became a site project manager and a procedures/training specialist for N.U.S. Training Corp, he worked on projects in Michigan, Ohio and Texas until 1995, when he returned to his roots – the high school classroom at Holbrook High School, Holbrook, Arizona, Gila Bend High School, Gila Bend, Arizona, and Tempe Union High School, Tempe, Arizona, where he retired.
He was a member of Mensa, the national Rifle Association, held dual memberships in Masonic lodges in Winthrop, Iowa and Avondale, Arizona, and was a member of the Scottish Rite in Phoenix. He also was a member of the Community Church of Buckeye.
He is survived by three daughters, Mary Reece of Phoenix, Cindy Burton of Madison Heights, Mich., Kate Peerman of Litchfield Par, Arizona and Dan Burton of Buckeye, Arizona; six granddaughters and a grandson, his sister, Margaret Baude of Atlanta, Georgia, and a cousin, George Weirick, Colfax, Iowa. He is preceded in death by his wife, Janet, who died May 15, 2000, and his parents Mary (Turner) Burton and Harrison Burton.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 10, at the Community Church of Buckeye.
Interment will be in Restland Cemetery in Baxter, Iowa, at a later date.
Source:  Jasper County Tribune (Colfax, IA); Thursday, June 8, 2000, page 8