John Burton

May 11, 1923 – September 4, 2016

John Burton of rural Cherry County, Neb. passed away Sept. 4, 2016, at the age of 93. Funeral services are held at the Presbyterian Church in Gordon, Neb., Sept. 9, 2016.

John was a life-long rancher of Cherry and Sheridan counties, Nebraska. He belonged to the Methodist Church in Merriman, Neb., and in later years the Presbyterian Church of Gordon.

He lived a very full and extraordinary life in many ways. He packed a horse, saddled up another horse, and left Bingham, Neb. to end up at the Grand Canyon. He worked on open range ranches in Nevada and Utah. In 1953, he decided to settle down to ranch. He married Ardith Nye Aug. 9, 1953, and ranched at his parents’ place, then in 1956 purchased the ranch where he and Ardith raised their two children. In 1999, John met and married Ruth Choate of Benson, Ariz., and they enjoyed 17 years together. They traveled together, and their most important accomplishment was the publication of a book “Call me Mac”.

John was preceded in death by his wife Ardith and by his parents, George and Aileen Burton. He is survived by his wife Ruth; daughter Velvet and husband Bart Dorwart of Lusk, Wyo.; their children Cole and Kayla Dorwart, and Cort Dorwart of Billings, Mont., and Jocelyn and Dakota Forkner and Cooper Dorwart of Lusk; great-grandsons Dillon and Logan Dorwart and Jhett Forkner; son G. Mitchel Burton and his wife Kelly, their children, Ryan and Rachel Burton of Ventura, Calif.; sister Mavis Dauphinee and husband Norman of Nebraska; and three nieces of Nebraska, Texas, and Georgia.

Memorials may be made to the Tri-State Old Time Cowboy Museum in Gordon, Nebraska, c/o Dr. David Browder, 638 Fairview, Gordon, NE  69343; or to the donor’s choice.

Pier Funeral Home of Lusk, Wyo., is in charge of arrangements.