David L. Burton

David L. Burton NORFOLK - David L. Burton passed away Jan. 8, 2009, in Sentara Norfolk General Hospital after a long battle with cancer. Born in Ocean View in 1931, he lived most of his childhood in Norfolk until approximately 1940, when he moved to Salisbury, Md. Mr. Burton spent most of his adult years in Wilmington, Del., except during the few years he pursued a show business career in Los Angeles and New York City. He returned home to Norfolk in 1989, establishing himself as a vital part of Norfolk and the theater scene. After serving as a personnel officer in the Air Force during the Korean War, Mr. Burton began a banking career with the Wilmington Savings Fund Society (WSFS) in 1958. He was eventually named and served as vice president of personnel at WSFS. Upon his promotion to VP, "Delaware Today" magazine cited Mr. Burton as the "new face of bankers," noting the sharp contrast between the staid, sedate stereotype of a bank executive and Mr. Burton's joyful participation in entertainment circles as singer, dancer and choreographer. His theatrical credits include various roles with the Wilmington Drama League, the Brandywiners, The DuPont Limelighters and the Wilmington Opera Company. In 1989, Mr. Burton retired from WSFS in Wilmington and moved to Norfolk where he immediately began his 20-year dedication to the Little Theatre of Norfolk (LTN). Mr. Burton's many functions at LTN included performer, director, artistic director and president of the board. Mr. Burton truly enjoyed his retirement years making many friends at the theatre and directing more than 20 productions for LTN. These represent a wide variety of plays, musicals and revues such as "A Streetcar Named Desire," "The Glass Menagerie," and "All Night Strut." In many of the musical productions, he not only directed the musicals, but he also created the choreography, acted, sang and danced in these productions. He also wrote original musical revues, such as "Songbook of Swing" (I and II) and other productions that recapped outstanding moments of the Little Theatre of Norfolk's history for it's 70th and 75th anniversaries. Mr. Burton encouraged and supported those he knew all of his life, helping them to discover and believe in themselves and to develop a love for all the arts and, in particular, the theatre he so loved. Mr. Burton is survived by his devoted niece, Geri Garnett and her husband Vance Garnett; his grand niece, Sondra Levitt, all of Washington, D.C.; and his grand nephew, Mark Levitt of Wilmington, Del. Other loving relatives include, T.R. Burton, Leslie Burton, Fanetta Burton, Sandra Crompton Narcisso, Joanne Crompton, Donald Crompton, John E. Crompton, Nancy Cathcart Bean, Richard Cathcart and J. Chandler Cathcart. He is also survived by many, many loving friends including Richard B. French, his dear friend of 52 years. A memorial service will be held in his honor at the Little Theatre of Norfolk, 801 Claremont Ave., on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009, at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the Little Theatre of Norfolk. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments, Norfolk Chapel, is handling arrangements.