Skip Burton, painter/philosopher

William (Skip) Virden Burton III, 58, of Lewes passed away suddenly Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, surrounded by his family. He was born in Lewes, July16, 1957, son of Freda Hudson Burton of Milton and the late Captain William Virden Burton Jr.

Skip was raised in Lewes, graduating from Cape Henlopen High School and enlisting in the Navy where he was a parachute rigger on the USS Kittyhawk. After returning to Lewes, Skip was known as a great painter having his own painting company for many years. He always had a big smile, a heart of gold and many lifelong friends.

Skip is survived by his companion of 18 years Collette Tarr Pepper; his sister, Chris Hocker Allen and her husband Bob of Ocean View; his brother, Bruce Burton of Milton; his sister Sandra Burton Strahosky and her husband Bill of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; his brother, Randy Burton and his wife Riki of Lewes; and stepsister Mikki Madden and her husband Ken of Seaford.

Although he did not have children he was a very important part of the lives of his nieces and nephews, Brad, Blair, Bud, Carey, Ian, Charlie, Will, Bennie, Joey, Dusty, Crystal, Jessie, Lynn, Sydnee and his extended family Billy Marshall of Lewes, Shana Pepper of Smyrna, Thalia and Kirsten also of Smyrna, (the grandchildren he thought of as his own) along with many aunts, uncles and cousins.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, Nov. 21, at 11 a.m., at Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, 211 Mulberry St., Lewes, where friends may visit beginning at 10 a.m. Interment will be private at St. Peters Cemetery, Pilottown Road, Lewes.

In lieu of flowers donations in Skip's name may be made to the American Liver Foundation, 1528 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19102, or to Beebe Medical Foundation, 424 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958

Please visit Skip’s Life Memorial webpage and sign his online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.