Richard Burton

1949 - 2025

Richard Jay Burton of Aventura, Florida, passed away suddenly on October 17, 2025, at the age of 76.

Born on May 4, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York, Richard was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was a respected attorney known for his formidable intellect, fierce advocacy, and unwavering moral compass. He built his career and lived his life defined by integrity, courage, and compassion. Those who knew Richard know that words alone cannot capture his essence.

Richard met his wife of 53 years, Truly, at the University of Miami, beginning a partnership that would define both of their lives. He loved her deeply, and was immensely proud of her success and strength as a longtime leader of the Builders Association of South Florida. Together, they raised their son, Marc, and delighted in the next generation - grandsons Samuel and Jeremy - who were his greatest joy.

Richard was a champion of the underdog. He often took on cases that others declined, and he could analyze a case in minutes and see what others missed. He began his career in Washington, D.C., working on cases arising from the Watergate era. In South Florida, he became a pillar of the legal community over the course of more than 50 years of law practice.

For the last 13 years of his life, Richard practiced alongside his son, Marc Burton, as his law partner and confidante. Their collaboration was the fulfillment of his lifelong belief that the law, at its best, is both a calling and a family legacy.

A proud and lifelong Miami Hurricane, Richard's connection to the University of Miami spanned nearly six decades. As a student, he was an outspoken voice for reform and inclusion. He led campus demonstrations and, in the name of equality, persuaded the school administration to lift a curfew that applied only to the female student population. He believed that political activism should never turn into political violence, which is why, upon learning of a violent plot, he quietly worked with the school to report an effort to bomb campus facilities, saving many lives.

Richard's activism during that turbulent era helped shape UM's culture of civic engagement. In 2009, he was inducted into the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the University's highest recognition, and one of the very same organizations he had protested decades earlier, for his lifetime of service and leadership.