Loraine (Toler) Burton

Loraine Toler Burton, 81, of Decatur died October 9, 2022 after battling dementia for several years.

Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 18th, 2022 at First United Methodist Church in Decatur with burial at Oaklawn Cemetery in Decatur. Family visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Monday, October 17th at Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.

Rev. Dr. Brian Bosworth will officiate

Pallbearers include Steve Summers, Roy Eaton, John Fuller, Andrew Rottner, Fred Renfro and Joe Armes. Honorary Pallbearers include Joe Lambert and members of the Wise Health System Board of Directors.

She was born November 22, 1940 in San Antonio to Ernest and Alice Toler both of whom preceded her in death.

Loraine was a 1959 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas in 1962.  She joined the Delta Delta Delta Sorority and remained an active advisor and mentor throughout her life.

After graduation from the University of Texas, Loraine moved to Dallas with one of her sorority sisters and became a teacher in the Dallas Independent School District. After a whirlwind romance following a blind date, she married Charles Alse Burton in June 1964 in San Antonio and the newlyweds moved to Decatur.

Loraine taught school in the Boyd ISD, eventually moving to a position in the Decatur ISD, teaching home-bound children throughout Wise County. Later, Loraine joined her husband managing Burton Oil Company where they worked together for 45 years. Together they grew Burton Oil Company to employ more than 200 persons in nine service stations and a chain of 18 convenience stores across North Texas.

Loraine was active in Decatur community affairs for many years. She and Charles were named Decatur’s Citizens of the Year in 1994. She served as a director of Wise Health System for more than 20 years. Loraine was a member of the Decatur Conference Center board of directors for more than 20 years.  She was also a member of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce and the Wise County Retired Teachers Association. Loraine was a founding member of the Decatur Main Street committee that oversaw the redevelopment of the Decatur Town Square.

Following the sale of the Burton Oil Company, Loraine and Charles embarked on many travel adventures, many of them with the University of Texas Travel Group. Over the years they visited all seven continents, checking the last one off their list, the last being to Antarctica.

Loraine was a 58-year member of the First United Methodist Church in Decatur and served in many leadership roles in the church. She was chairperson of the committee that built the new Methodist Activity Center at the church. She and Charles were co-chairs of a committee that developed a $1.2 million expansion of the church in 2002.

She was preceded in death by her sister Martha Williams.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of 58 years, Charles Burton, and their two sons, Chris Burton and wife Charland of Greenwood, and Wade Burton and wife Juwon of Houston; 5 grandchildren, Sebastian, Ciara and Christain Burton of Medellin, Colombia, Katy Stephens of Oklahoma City, Kendal LaFleur and husband Craig of College Station, ; 1 great-grandson, James LaFleur; her nieces, Hollyn Williams Stansell of Prosper, and Lindsey Williams Roan of Schertz; and a host of friends.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Wise Area Relief Mission, 300 N. Trinity Street, Decatur, TX 76234.