Burton Burks, Jr

Burton Burks, Jr., 87, passed away Thursday, February 2, 2017 in Stephenville, Texas. Service:  2:00 PM, Tuesday, February 7, 2017, First United Methodist Church, Granbury, Interment: Granbury Cemetery, Visitation: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Monday, February 6, 2017, Wiley Funeral Home Chapel, Granbury.  In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Wellborn St., Dallas, TX 75219 or Granbury First United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 70, Granbury, TX 76049.

Burton was born December 28, 1929 to Burton Burks and Madeline Warren Burks in Lubbock. Burton was a descendent of Abe Nutt and Indiana Rylee, who owned and operated the ferryboat on the north end of the Brazos River; Abe’s Landing encompasses that area.  Burton grew up in Lubbock and graduated from Lubbock High School.  He attended Texas Tech until enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1951.  He was honorably discharged from the USAF in 1955.  He spent most of his four years of military service in Wichita Falls at Sheppard Air Force Base.  Burton married Frances Turner on June 30, 1951; they were blessed with two children and just over 65 years of marriage.  Burton and Frances along with their young son, Jim, moved to Granbury in 1955.  He began farming and ranching in Hood County.  In 1956, their daughter, Brenda, was born.  Burton and Frances have been members of Granbury First United Methodist Church since 1957.

Burton was involved in the Granbury Lions Club, American Legion Post 278, Hood County Livestock Raisers Association, and Granbury Cemetery Board. He was an endowed member and past master of Granbury Masonic Lodge #392 AF & AM; he received his 65 year pin recently.  In addition, he was a 33^rd degree endowed member of Fort Worth Valley Scottish Rite for over 30 years.  Burton received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award at the Granbury Lions Club 50^th anniversary celebration.  Burton and Frances donated the land for the Jim Burks’ Firefighters Memorial Park to honor their son, Jim, as well as all firefighters.

Burton is survived by his wife, Frances Burks, his daughter, Brenda Burks of Stephenville, his grandchildren, Brody Burks and wife, Marie of Waco, Jocelyn Etters and husband Matt of Stephenville, Matt Rhoades of Bluff Dale and Emily Graham and husband Tony of Granbury; his great grandchildren, Madelyn and Judson Etters and James and Margaret Burks; his sister, Evelyn Sue Smith of Lubbock and his nephew, Kevin Smith and his nieces, Rhonda Miller and Dana Mitchell; and great nieces and nephews. Burton was preceded in death by his son, James Burton (Jim) Burks in 1999, and his sister, Mary K. Burks, in 2010.

The family would like to thank Senior Care and Oakwood Assisted Living of Stephenville for their kind and compassionate care the past months. The family wishes to thank Universal Health Services of Stephenville for their compassionate hospice care during Burton’s final days.