Elnora W Burton

ELNORA OPHELIA WINSLOW BURTON, daughter of the late William Thomas Winslow and Elnora Perry Winslow, was born on May 21, 1924 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. She departed this life on October 9, 2012 of natural causes after more than a decade of suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and related infirmities. Elnora was known for the abounding love and generosity she extended as testament to her Christian faith, which she also felt required exacting standards about everything. A natural educator and organizer, she valued achievement and never hesitated to instruct others about ways to accomplish things sensibly while representative of honoring and pleasing God. For her, that easily meant making education, faith, family, fortitude and fineness or quality foremost in her life. Her big heart and wise counsel driven by these traits, and her special touch for cooking and baking endeared her to everyone who knew her. She loved cooking and her favorite time of year was baking cookies as gifts for Christmas, and also preparing meals and desserts for the annual gathering of the family, extended family and friends for prayer on New Year’s Eve. Mostly these traits are outgrowths of her early life. She grew up in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the youngest of eleven children (six brothers and four sisters who all have predeceased her). Elnora was educated at the P.W. Moore High School and went on to graduate from Virginia State University in 1946 with a B.S. degree in Home Economics. While at Virginia State, Elnora was initiated into the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. After graduation, she began a life-long career as an educator, with her first teaching assignment at the James Solomon Russell High School in Lawrenceville, Virginia, where her husband, the late William Lloyd Burton Sr. was completing college at St. Paul’s College following his Army service in World War II. Elnora and Lloyd attended and met at Mt. Lebanon A.M.E. Zion Church in Elizabeth City. They were married by Lloyd’s father, the late Reverend Edward L. Burton, on Christmas Day in 1946 in the house at 701 Harney Street in Elizabeth City where Elnora grew up and which property her family still owns. Out of their union four children were born, William Lloyd Jr., Kermit Clifton, Gerald Lee and Laureen Elnora. After Lloyd’s graduation in 1953, the couple moved to Baltimore, Maryland where Elnora became an educator in the Baltimore Public School System. She continued her own education and graduated from Columbia University Teacher’s College with an M.S. in Family Life Education. Elnora was a master teacher and some of her students remained close with her throughout her life. In 1978 she retired from Baltimore Public School System. Along with Lloyd, she then began Burton Team Enterprises and Chicanele Wedding and Party Service, through which she continued her love of cooking and helping others to make the big occasions in life extra special. In addition to her family and extended family, what continued as extra special to Elnora throughout her life were the A.M.E. Zion church, including her more than fifty years of membership at the Pennsylvania Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church, and the Virginia State University. In retirement she worked tirelessly with the Alumni Association of the Virginia State University, who awarded her the Distinguished Alumnus Award on May 24, 1981. Elnora especially prized the time she and Lloyd could spend with their children’s families. She loved each spouse, grandchild and great-grandchild. She likewise treasured her nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws. Elnora also prized the involvement she and Lloyd shared with extended family members, friends from many churches, long-time neighbors, former colleagues, and “adopted” other seniors. Elnora Winslow Burton leaves to mourn: three sons, Rev. Dr. William Lloyd Burton Jr. and his wife Brenda, Kermit “KC” Burton and his wife Essexe and Gerald Lee Burton and his wife Bernadette; one daughter, Laureen Elnora Burton-Kendrick and her husband Willie; eight grandchildren, Marcella, Edward, Eldon, Keresse, Evan, Brittany, Bryce and William; two great-granddaughters, Briana and Lyric; one great-grandson, Kyle; two nieces, June Backus Gould and Sophronia Backus Jones; two great-nephews, Ja-Mar and Ja-Mes; special extended family, Betty Gladden and Mary and William Eastman; and a host of other relatives, devoted caregivers and friends. Hers is a life to emulate. To God, be the glory

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Elnora W Burton

May 21, 1924 - October 9, 2012