Cary Layne Burton

Cary Layne Burton, M.D., passed peacefully into his eternal reward from his home in Fort Worth, Texas, on January 3, 2023, after a struggle with Lewy Body Dementia.

Cary was born on December 8, 1947, to parents Lewis "Luke" Larry Burton (1908-1977) and Mollie Lorene Leavelle Burton (1916-1992). Cary's marriage to his beloved wife and sweetheart since junior high, Lois Catherine Williams Burton, brought him much joy. After a two-week engagement, they married on April 30, 1970, at a tiny chapel at Park Cities Baptist Church. Having dated seven years prior, they were together for sixty-one years out of his seventy-five total years on earth.

Cary was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers: Kenneth Larry (1934-1997) and his wife Kay (1937-1999) and fraternal twins Herman Norville (1938-2019) and Sherman Arvel Anthony (1938-2014) and his wife Elda (1939-2009) and son Tony (1965-1999).

He is survived by his wife Lois; their son John Lewis Burton (b. 1975) and his wife, Christi and daughter Cara; their daughter Jessica Catherine Burton Birchfield (b. 1977), her husband Brad, and children Levi, Lucas, Lydia, Lincoln, and identical twins Luther and Leo; and their son Joseph Michael Burton (b. 1982) and his wife Becky and daughter Emmy. Also surviving him are his sister-in- law, Helen Burton, brother-in-law, Howie Chandler, nieces and nephews Kandi and husband Mike McMenamy, Larry Jr. and wife Margaret Burton, Matt Burton, Camille and husband Chris Peres, Kirby and wife Sandra Burton, Kelly Burton, and Dorothy and husband Wade Adams, lifelong friend Mike Wood and his wife Sharolyn, and numerous other cousins and dear friends.

Cary and Lois graduated from Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas in 1966. Always a diligent student and perennially curious, he went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in Economics from Rice University in Houston, Texas, and then a Degree in Medicine from Baylor Medical School in Houston, Texas. He served as an officer in the Army from June 24, 1975, until Sept 24, 1983, working some of that time as a flight surgeon based in Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. Subsequently, he maintained a busy private ophthalmology practice in Cleburne, Texas and then joined the group of Ophthalmology Associates in Fort Worth, Texas, where he was beloved by his many patients. Known for consistently wearing suits with festive or ornate ties, he also internalized an encyclopedic knowledge of many subjects, particularly history and medicine. A daily activity with his beloved wife was completing the New York Times crossword, which they did religiously until his last year of life. Woe be to the competitor ever to play him at Trivial Pursuit! He continued his thriving medical practice until he reluctantly retired in 2019.

Cary was very active in his community. He sang in a gospel quartet with his church that would travel to other local churches to perform concerts. He sang in the church choir, participated in orchestra playing French horn, taught Sunday school for many years, and was a member of the Gideons and Lions Clubs. He was an avid lover of music, especially Classical. Being a lover of all types of machines, but especially cars, he bought dozens of vehicles in his lifetime beginning at age 14, keeping track of them by number. But that which he most prized was the forgiveness and hope offered to him by his Savior, Christ Jesus. We, his family, saw firsthand the radical change his faith had on his character, shaping him into the patient, forbearing, loving, generous person he grew to become. He will be ever loved, missed, and held in our hearts. 

A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, January 14th, from 1-4 PM come-and-go, with remarks at 1:30 PM, at Trinity Hills Baptist Church in Benbrook, Texas.