Christine Burton, Vanceburg, died Tuesday, January 1, 2019, at The Village at Summerville in Summerville, South Carolina. She was born at Stricklett June 16, 1929.
Christine was the first-born child of Emery Crawford and Goldie Stamm Crawford, and was the eldest of seven children.
A child of the Great Depression and the daughter of a tobacco farmer, Christine always strove to find the value in everything and make the most use of the things she had.
In her early life, Christine attended a one-room school before starting high school, from which she graduated in 1947. That same summer, she married Donald Burton following his return from service in the United States Army during World War II.
Christine and Don had two children: Boneta Burton Tapoc and Kerby Burton.
Young people often begin college at the age of 18, but for Christine Burton, 18 years would pass following her high school graduation before she would enroll to begin her college education.
After raising two young children, Christine worked for 10 years in a local shoe factory. In 1965, at the age of 35, and at the urging of her husband, Christine began attending Morehead State University. She graduated at the top of her class with degrees in Elementary Education, Art, and Library Science.
As a teacher and librarian, Christine served the children and community of Lewis County for 20 years, retiring in 1989. While working as a teacher and librarian, she also continued her education, eventually earning her master’s degree.
Following their retirement, Christine and Don split their time with half of their year in Kentucky, and half of the year in the Charleston, South Carolina, area to allow for time with all of their grandchildren.
Don Burton died in 2010 and Christine continued their volunteer service, volunteering her time weekly at Trident Medical Center, ending her 26 years of volunteer service only months before her death.
In the later years of her life the energy and effort needed for volunteering became more difficult, but she always found it to be very rewarding. Christine was fond of the expression “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
Christine is survived by her two children, Boneta Burton Tapoc (Jaime) and Kerby Burton (Ellen); one sister, Madge Crawford Carrington; one brother, Dale Crawford (Wanda); seven grandchildren, Christopher Burton (Michia), Jill Burton Butler (Matt), Sarah Tapoc, Laura Dobrozsi, Gavin Tapoc (Jennifer), Derek McElwee (Mandy) and Daniel Burton; 12 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-greatgrandchild.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Burton; her parents, Emery and Goldie Crawford; and her siblings, Noreen, Arnold, Howard, and Shelby Crawford.
No immediate funeral is planned. A memorial service will be scheduled in the Spring of 2019.
