Events
Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend, Dr. Stephen Morley Burton, peacefully passed away early Saturday morning, July 20, 2024, at his home.
Steve was born September 18, 1936, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Oliver Thompson and Zelda Coombs Burton. He was the youngest of four children, who lost their father when Steve was only four years old. Steve felt that loss his entire life, and he developed a strong bond with his mother, going to her house for lunch every Monday, and as an extended family for dessert every Sunday. Zelda was an amazing hostess who loved being surrounded by family, and those qualities were passed on to Steve. We are so happy that he is reunited with his parents again!
Steve has always been a charismatic, charming person. At East High School, he sang in choirs and was involved with student government, making lifelong friendships. After graduating from high school, Steve served as a missionary in the Great Lakes Mission, where he was a branch president and learned about enduring even when things were hard. He graduated from the University of Utah in Biology with a teaching degree and taught at West High for one year. The following four years, he attended dental school at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
While attending a dance at the Terrace, Steve looked across the room and saw a beautiful young lady with a dazzling smile. He knew immediately that she was the girl he would marry. She soon became the love of his life and his eternal companion. On August 20, 1965, Steve and Marianne (Ebert) were sealed to each other in the Salt Lake Temple by Elder Harold B. Lee. Throughout their marriage, they exemplified what true love and devotion looks like.
Steve enlisted in the U.S. Army to help pay for dental school and honorably served his country for many years, retiring as a full-bird colonel. Steve was on active duty during three wars and lived in Germany for part of his service.
Steve and Marianne welcomed six children into their hearts, whom they dearly loved. They were the crowning jewels of their lives. Steve led by example and taught many lasting lessons, such as hard work, forever families, living within your means, enduring to the end, and treating everyone with kindness and respect.
Steve has always used his hands for good. As a dentist, he helped children and adults look forward to coming to the dentist and refused to charge missionaries who needed dental work done. As a teacher, he made everyone feel welcome in his class and enjoyed meaningful discussions. As a golfer, he played every week and loved the camaraderie. As a builder, he constructed his beloved cabin with his Uncle Ken. He also built the home in which he and Marianne raised their children. He knew every nail and board, and we knew we were living in a home built with love.
Besides his home and the temple, Steve’s favorite place was the cabin. Many happy memories were made there as the family snowmobiled in the winter and fished and hiked in the summer. The cabin has become a legacy, a place where his children and grandchildren love to gather.
Steve had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh and to tease, which he continued doing to the very end. He made up silly nicknames for all his kids and his wife. Even though he had a beautiful singing voice, he started singing Happy Birthday terribly off-key, which became a family tradition. He would also read our cards to him out loud and would change the wording to make us laugh.
Steve received the Utah Dental Association Distinguished Service award. He was a member of Pierre Fauchard Academy, an international honorary dental association. He was chairman of the board of PIE (Professional Insurance Exchange) from 1985 to April 2023, 38 years. He was part of the Utah National Guard from 1954 to September 1996. Steve didn’t serve for accolades or fame, but he accomplished much by doing good for others.
Steve was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he loved his Savior. He served in many callings throughout his life, including branch president on his mission and while in the army, stationed in Germany, as well as Sunday school teacher, scout master, elders quorum president, counselor to two bishops, and a high counselor. Steve loved serving with Marianne in the Salt Lake Temple for 20 years and loved being married to his favorite person for almost 59 years.
Steve was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Maxine and Warren McAllister, Carol Burton, Janis and Sam Cox, and a cherished granddaughter, Sophie. He is survived by his sweetheart, Marianne, his children, Tracy (Mike), Stephen (Rebecca), Nicole (John), Richard (Karin), Rachel (Christopher), and Jen (Pete), 27 grandchildren, Christopher (Jessica), Madeline, Stephen, Sarah, Isaac, Mary, Michael, Jonathon, Emma, Lizzy (Jim), Taylor (Megan), Rebecca (Seth), Jacob, Brooklyn, Andrew, John, Ben, Will, Thomas, James, Topher, Burton, Sydney, Charlotte, Ainsley, Molly, and Ellie, and five great-grandchildren. Steve is also survived by his best friend and brother, Richard, someone he greatly admired.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 27, at 12 noon at the LDS Chapel located at 1320 South Wasatch Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah. Friends and family may visit Saturday between 10 and 11:45 a.m. at the church.
Interment will be at the Memorial Mountain View Cemetery on Monday, July 29, 2024, at 9:30 am.
Those wishing to view a recording of the service via Zoom can click "Watch Service" or follow the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/QDe9t3kXqR_2vFvhaSb1hwlN3nF9WZ2-9SOUFwEX8LqqIRz5F__Hq0LaOpGKAcY.p6FtWUOj2xd99k_R?startTime=1722103323000
Those wishing to view the Completed graveside service can follow the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/F0NnP3UPITHcurWYX8FVdvIeYsio8SyvS4VDI3D7KuS9qqzUF6JK3q8Fn5p8_sI.Am4Z156JeUUYu3Bt?startTime=1722266361000
Guestbook/Condolences
Brother Burton was one of my favorites while serving in the Salt Lake Temple! His dry (and sometimes biting) sense of humor went right along with mine....but he was also a formidable spiritual giant from whom I learned so much. Sister Burton--our prayers are with you and your family.
I am thankful for knowing Steve for the paswt 10 years. He was my dentist until he retired. I helped in his home installing blinds in part he was remodeling. We worked in the Salt Lake Temple for 10 years together. He was one of my first cordanators and taught me the order to serve in the temple. I and. M my wife and I are serving a mission in the London England Temple and my have time to view his furenal on Saturday. Much love from the Lunch Group that meet each month.
All our love to your family. Steve was such a great friend and support to our Dad ( Bill). I don’t think he’d mind one bit if we referred to him by our nick name for him…Butcher Burton. I know he laughed when he heard us call him that!
May the peace the gospel brings be with you.
Sending my deep sympathy to your family for your great loss!
During the years I had the opportunity to associate with Dr. Burton I grew to respect and admire and appreciate him.
Dr. Burton, was a good man who cared deeply about the success of PIE as the Chairman of the Board for many years. He also showed through his actions that he cared just as much about the board members and PIE employees. He was warm, friendly with the strength to lead soundly. He spoke so affectionately and proudly about his family. Over the years I grew to love both Dr. Burton and Marianne.
He will be missed, Heaven has gained a great man!
Brother Burton has a special place in my heart, his daughter was my first friend when we moved to Utah, so I spent many a day over at their home. He always had such a fun,joking and sarcastic way of making you feel loved. Years later in my mid twenties I’ll never forget seeing him working in the temple and being greeted with the most loving refsrd even after many years of not seeing each other. Sending so much love to the Burton family.
The association that I have had with Steve has been phenomenal. While we began our friendship by being comrades in the Utah Army National Guard, we have continued to enjoy each other ever since, even on the golf course! He has always been very useful and informative for me and has shown me how to live a good family life by supporting our families appropriately. Each contact that I have had with him has been beneficial and instructive. Steve was very mighty in helping others, as well as trying to improve his health and abilities so that he would be able to benefit all others. My wife and I are currently serving a mission in West Africa, so we were unable to attend his funeral. Along with many others, we will miss him but will continue to benefit from our fellowship with him in the past, as I am sure that his family and all others will as well.
Mary Ann
We extend our prayers and condolences to you and your family at the passing of Steve. He was a good friend and we spent many years working with the two of you in the Temple. Lynnette and I are both recovering from COVID and would love to have been at the funeral. The promises and covenants we make in the temple are eternal and binding giving us the assurance that we will all be together again. Our prayers are with you at this difficult time