Paul Allen Burton

Paul Allen Burton, 74, passed away on May 18th at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. Paul was born on October 30th, 1948, and was a native of Orleans, MA. He graduated from Nauset Regional High School in 1967. He is predeceased by his parents, Stanley and Evelyn, his stepmother Laura, and his cousin, David Woodford. Paul is survived by his son Christopher Burton of Cambridge, MA; his sisters: Sandra Kuipers of East Bridgewater, MA, Linda Holmes of West Dennis, MA, and Kathleen Leech of Brewster, MA; stepbrother Doug Brown of Eastham, MA; and stepchildren, Ryan Kennedy and Rory Kennedy.

Paul was in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam war. He was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany.

Paul was an avid automotive enthusiast, a connoisseur of music, and an amateur photographer. In his younger years, some of his favorite past times were cookouts on the outer beach, camping in Maine, longboard surfing, boating, and providing the music at parties via his reel to reel and extensive collection of vinyl records. He married his only wife, Laurel, in 1986 and they divorced in 1999.

Paul owned and operated an excavation business for 30 years, from 1978 to 2008. Following the closure of his business, he drove 18-wheelers across the country for several years. Most recently, he worked as a cab driver on the lower Cape.

Paul was known for his sense of humor, his generosity, and what might be described as a larger-than-life persona among locals.

A celebration of Paul’s life will be held at the 400 East in Harwich on July 22nd, 2023 @ 4pm.

One of Paul’s favorite expressions, of which there were many, was, “We laughed, we sang, we danced.”

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nickersonfunerals.com for the Burton family.