Hulis Burton, 85, of Franklin, KY passed away peacefully at home on October 9, 2021 at 10:53pm following a brief battle with lung cancer. Hulis, known to his friends as Burt, was born in Columbia, KY to Ealie and Bonnie Burton who preceded him in death.
Hulis joined the Army on December 1, 1954. He was in the 2nd BG 5th Infantry in Fort Carson, Colorado and was honorably discharged on December 2, 1958. While serving in the Army he married Millie Harmon on January 1, 1957. After leaving the Army, he and Millie lived in Aurora, Illinois where he worked as a mechanic. They were married for 21 years before Millie passed away from brain cancer in January 1978.
In 1981, Hulis met Valerie Raffaelli, a North Aurora widow with three young children. They married two years later on May 28,1983 in Dowagiac, Michigan. Over the course of the next several years, they would live in Schaumburg, Illinois and Dowagiac, Michigan before returning to Kentucky to be closer to Hulis’s family. While in Kentucky, Hulis answered the call of God to preach His Word. He served as a minister in churches in Kentucky and Tennessee. He loved preaching, reading, and talking about the Word of God to everyone.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Millie Harmon Burton; 4 siblings: Rosemary Burton, Elmo Burton, Leon Burton and Shirley Burton; and one grandson, Joshua Burton.
SURVIVORS:
Wife of 38 years: Valerie Burton
8 children: Linda Schlasky (Bob) of Nevada, MO; Hulis Burton, Jr. of Fessenden, ND; Lisa Lieser (Guy) of Sugar Grove, IL; Terry Burton of Sugar Grove, IL; Jeff Burton (Nancy Hagan) of Harvey, ND; Julie Ranger (Jeff), Jennifer Hunt (Bart), and Gina Crabtree (Nathan), all of Bowling Green, KY
16 grandchildren: Christina Miller (Carl), Stephanie Stiefbold (Patrick Arvin), Cheree Burton (Jason Carpenter), Brook Ebersohl (Jay), Brent Harper, Amber Smyder (Chris), Alesha Lieser (Nolan Koch), Abigail Lieser, Felicia Hertz (David), Heather Burton, Jeffrey Ranger (Christina Gorman), Ashley Ranger, Madison Hunt, Natalie Crabtree, Allison Crabtree, & Tailer Burton
13 great-grandchildren & 3 great-great-grandchildren
7 siblings: Leaman Burton of Hope, IN, Jerry Burton (Eloise) of Conover, NC, Jody Burton of Columbia, KY, Brenda Deal (David) of Claremont, NC, Robert Burton (Pat) of Columbia, KY, Nella Lamb of Whiteland, IN, and Edgar Burton (Christina) of Columbia, KY
Many nieces & nephews
Dear family friends: Sherman and Mary Rucker, Steve and Lois Hoots, and Karen and Dominic Rappelli
Celebration of Life: Thursday, October 14, 2021 at 11:00amCT at Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home with Pastor Jack Batson officiating
Visitation: Wednesday, October 13, 2021 from 3:00-7:00pmCT at the funeral home
Graveside Service: Monday, October 18, 2021 at 1:00pm at Lincoln Memorial Park in Aurora, Illinois with full military honors
Pallbearers: Sherman Rucker, Jeff Ranger, Jeffrey Ranger, Bart Hunt, Nathan Crabtree & Kevin Reagan
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Southern Kentucky.
