Alan "Gator" Burton

Alan "Gator" Burton

Ft. Myers, FL - Alan "Gator" Burton, age 74, passed away peacefully in Newark, Delaware, on July 27, 2019, with loved ones by his side.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Betty Morris and Richard Burton, Alan grew up in Glens Falls and White Plains, New York, and was a lifelong sports enthusiast. He studied journalism at the University of Florida and then, as a young father, remained at his beloved alma mater for law school.

Alan spent his entire career with the DuPont Company, first in Orange, Texas, and then in Wilmington, Delaware. He was an esteemed labor lawyer who enjoyed sharing a beer with union members and firing-up the Legal Department's softball team. He was known for his ever-present sense of humor and his impressive gardening.

Alan honed his love of golf on the DuPont Country Club greens, and both sons-in-law were present for his momentous hole-in-one. He would watch any sport played by any Gator and had a closet full of orange clothes. Alan's other great sports home was Cleveland, and he was a loyal fan of the Browns and the Indians. He was fortunate to share his team passions with his son, Grant, who fulfilled Alan's paternal dream of attending UF.

In retirement, Alan's green thumb continued to flourish, and his flower gardens were spectacular. He spent most of the year in Fort Myers, Florida, tooling around the friendly Gateway community in his tricked-out Gator golf cart and spending leisure time at The Club at Gateway. He enjoyed traveling to Spain, Portugal, and England to play with his Brit friends in the "Cider Cup," and also looked forward to his annual trip with the guys to Hershey. In addition to golf, he shared a love of horse racing with his brother, David.

Alan is survived by his devoted wife and companion, Patricia, his children, Carolee Kunz (Chuck), Suzanne Delaplane (Mark), and Grant Burton (May), his stepson, Michael Potts, and his grandchildren, Hannah, Tuckerman, Peter, Margaret, Gavin, and Nigel, all of whom are fortunate to have shared a recent special reunion with him. He is also survived by his brother, David Burton (Candy), his uncle, Jim Tillotson, his cousin Pam Desrosiers, and his in-laws, Sonja Dobich, Dorothy Rummell (George), and George Dobich (Mary).

A memorial service will be held in Ft. Myers, Florida, at a later date. Messages of condolence may be sent to www.mccreryandharra.com