April 28, 2023 at 9:45 in the morning, Billy Harris Burton, at the age of 89, peacefully stepped into Heaven. The first thing he did was bow at the feet of Jesus and then said, “I am here to work, where do you need me to start?” Bill was a working man! He retired from his earthly job as a long surveyor on his 80th birthday. Bill, or Burt as he was also known, was born January 25, 1934 to Harris Burton and Alma Shahan. Bill was predeceased by his parents as well as his maternal grandparents, Ollye Alma Tomlinson Shahan and Elmer Purdie Shahan whom Bill referred to as “Daddy Purd.” His grandparents raised him at 1520 Locust St. Tyler, Texas which was the only home address he was able to remember the past two years.

Bill is survived by his devoted wife of 46 years, Charleta Weaver Burton; sons, Rev. Dr. Kelly Bill Burton and wife Karen, Jeffrey Neal Fields and wife Reon, Michael Scott Fields and wife Karrie; and daughters, Kristen Jill Burton and Cheriea Fields Hines. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Bill was the only child born to Harris and Alma, however, he is also survived by a great host of close friends and extended family.

After graduating from Tyler High in 1952, Bill and his best friend Bobby Morgan, decided to join the Marine Corp – Bill was a proud Marine serving during the Korean war. After his honorable discharge from the Marines, he enrolled at Tyler Junior College as a member of the very first land surveying class. This led Bill into a very successful career in land surveying. In his honor and to commemorate his support of the land surveying department of TJC, a survey control monument was set in concrete and named Bill H. Burton. This monument with Bill’s name stamped in a bronze disc is used by the TJC students each year as a part of their training. Bill was a Registered Public Land Surveyor in the states of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. He was also a licensed State Land Surveyor for the state of Texas. Bill H. Burton was an active member of the East Texas Chapter 4 of the Texas Surveyors Association. He served as an officer in every capacity of Chapter 4 and later as a director of the chapter for several years. As a member of the American Congress of Surveying and Mapping, Bill and Charleta enjoyed many wonderful vacations together attending these conventions. One of which was Denver, Colorado where they rented snowmobiles for a day! The most memorable one of all these conventions was to Washington D.C. A day trip to Arlington National Cemetery found Bill standing on the steps near the tomb of the Unknown Soldier with tears streaming down his face as a Marine came on duty at the changing of the guard. The only cruise of their many travels was a Louisiana State Surveyors Convention. Bill H. Burton had a second middle name; it was GO!

In 1978 Bill and Charleta purchased the business from his long-time employer Harry L. Johnson when Mr. J decided to retire. Doing business as Harry L. Johnson & Associates, Bill did work in the oil fields for many of the local independent operators, one of which was Harry Phillips. Companies such as Delta Drilling, Cities Service, and Marathon were among the companies for which Bill staked well locations and surveyed units. His portfolio of clients is too numerous to name here. The Texas General Land Office is home to thousands of plots and or maps signed by Bill H. Burton. Bill was a survivor of the oil and gas patch shutdown in the very early part of 1980 as many of his clients began to file bankruptcy. Thanks be to the Lord God of Bill’s life, he came through it all better and stronger even through a bit weary of the ordeal. As an employer he would sometimes hire people because they needed a job. Not because he needed the help.

January 1, 1996, Buster Sartain bought Bill’s company! Bill went with the purchase by Buster as an employee. One of Bill’s many statements of wisdom was “Be careful how you treat people who work with or for you because one day they may be your boss!”

Bill Burton was a devoted family man. If he was not working on the weekend, often times he and Charleta could be found camping at Tyler State Park or Fairfield State Park, or Inks Lake. On long holiday weekends with all their children and grandchildren, it would be Padre Island or Lake Whitney. The kids were most always allowed to invite a friend for the camping and water sports. Kristen Jill always brought her 3 best friends! No telling how many kids Bill taught to water ski through the years. Lake Tyler and Lake Palestine were favorites for entertaining the youth of our church family, safety was always a priority with Bill. One Saturday as we were coming through the channel from Lake Tyler East to the main area of Lake Tyler, the lake patrol stopped us. There were 8 of us in the boat. When the lake patrol said “hands over your head holding a life preserver, we all did as we were told. The lake patrol’s jaw dropped and he just shook his head as he motioned in disbelief for us to pass on through the channel.

Kelly, Jeff and Scott enjoyed many deer and turkey hunting trips in Limestone County and in the beautiful mountains of Colorado. As the boys grew up and had their own families, Bill’s wife Charleta became his camping companion enjoying many wonderful years of camping and sitting by the campfire and cooking over the campfire. Most of Bill and Charleta’s Colorado excursions were in the company of their friends and camping buddies, Dick and Karon Gilmore. Their evening meal was always followed with a game of Wahoo!

Bill Burton served his Savior, Jesus Christ, with all his heart and that heart of compassion served his fellowman in whatever their area of need. He served Jesus without looking back from the day he surrendered his heart and life to the Lord on May 7, 1978.

The family would like to acknowledge the staff of Reunion Plaza Healthcare and Rehabilitation for their loving care for the past 18 months. The caring chaplain, nurse, and aide of Heart to Heart Hospice who were assigned to our precious Bill for the last week of his life were super!

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy is a very rare brain disease with no known medical cure that Bill battled for 7 years as it took away his mobility, short term memory, thinking and comprehension then progressing into dementia. Not being able to walk was devastating for this wonderful man who made his living walking every day, for more than 60 years!

In lieu of flowers, make donations to: Redeeming Grace Fellowship (formerly Grace Chapel),17269 U.W. Highway 69 South, Tyler, TX 75703 (www.rgftyler.com); or Pleasant Hills Children’s Home, P.O. Box 1177, Fairfield, TX 75840 (www.pleasanthillschildrenshome.org)