Paul Ernest Burton

Paul was born December 6, 1930 in Providence RI. There he attended Classical High School and graduated Brown University in 1952 and majored in chemistry. While at Brown, he was commissioned into the US Navy and served as a gunnery officer aboard the USS Tarawa from 1952 – 1955. They served during the Korean War. Upon leaving active duty he retained his commission as a naval officer and served in the reserves. In 1954 he was married to Anne Larkosh and they adopted two children (Kathleen Anne in 1960 and Jeanne Marie in 1962). In 1955 Paul began his studies at MIT and graduated with PHD in Chemistry in 1959. His hobbies included: Researching and building over three hundred miniature model navy ships, he studied the Civil War, was an avid reader, played guitar and keyboard. Dogs were a big part of his life ending when his beloved dachshund, Joshua, died of a brain tumor. Paul transferred from Baywood, NJ to Baton Rouge with ExxonMobil. He then married Virginia Marie Wilson who died June 16, 2000. His illustrious career with ExxonMobil lasted 40 years until his retirement. In 2012 Paul and Geraldine Gallarini McNamee were married. They enjoyed being active at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, praying together, playing together, and traveled extensively in the US and abroad. Paul’s family grew to include three step-daughters, three sons-in-law, seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. He is survived by his wife Geraldine (Gerry) Burton, his daughter Kathleen Burton and her significant other Phillip Jones of Deer Isle Maine, a Godson Daniel James Larkosh of Martha’s Vineyard; step-daughters Cathleen Abshire and her husband Kenneth, Marilyn Mc Key and her husband David, step-grandchildren; Nicholas Abshire, his wife Bailey, Christopher Joe Abshire and his daughter Kelly, Shannon Cormier and his children Ethan and Haley, Megan Sarradet her husband Taylor, their children Adeline, Joseph and Stella, Michael Mc Key, his wife Megan, their daughter Mae, Angela Phillips and her daughter Rhyian and great grandchildren Kensley Bordelon and Javier Saldana. Paul was proceeded in death by his parents Stella Mayer Burton and Sydney Weller Burton, his daughter Jeanne Burton, his wife Virginia Burton, step-daughter Diana Miller, step-granddaughter Ashton Saldana, and his beloved dachshund Joshua. Special thanks go to the Hospice Caregivers at The Crossing at Clarity Hospice, and Joquitha of Homecare of LA. In lieu of flowers Paul and Gerry request that donations be sent to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation on Thursday, March 23, 2023, held at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, beginning at 9:00 a.m. until the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. The interment will follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park.