Robert Burton

ROBERT W BURTON
12/14/36 - 7/20/24

Robert Burton (87) of Raleigh, NC, passed away on July 20, 2024, surrounded by family, love, and music. Bob was born in Little Rock, AR to Claude and Helen (Kulbeth) Burton. His early passion for music, namely organ performance, propelled him to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree (1957) at Hendrix College, a Master of Music degree (1962) at Indiana University, and doctoral studies at The University of Kentucky. He accepted his first position as a church organist while still in college, and his career in church music then spanned another 60 years.

Certified by The Joint Commission on Church Music, as well as by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Bob faithfully served many parishes, including St Mark’s Episcopal (Little Rock, AR), All Saints Episcopal (Pontiac, MI), Christ Church Cathedral (Lexington, KY), The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd (Lexington, KY), and St Philip’s-St Andrew’s Episcopal (Akron, OH).

Continuing upon his ten-year tenure at Christ Church Cathedral and upon receiving his post at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Lexington, Bob pioneered and cultivated a renowned choral program based on the Anglican Cathedral Tradition and the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM). He was a leader in bringing to the area such musical traditions as “The Festival of Lessons and Carols”, “First Sundays at Four”, and the annual, and always anticipated, “Three Choirs Festival”. Bob’s lasting legacy continues in the generations of talented musicians whom he educated, trained, and loved.

He is listed in the Episcopal Lay Leadership Directory as well as the International Who’s Who in Music and Musicians Directory. He was a member, and repeated Chair, of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission (Lexington). He also served on the Review and Selection Committee for the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church, and was a career-long member of the Association of Anglican Musicians as well as the American Guild of Organists.

Never a performer but rather always one who worshipped God through his music, Bob was preceded in death by his parents and his two siblings, Tommy and Nancy. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Ann, as well as six children: Julie Stone (Gary), Bill (Maria), Rory, Kenneth (Pennie), Rob Schmid (Carmela) and Lindsey Kindt (Michael), plus eleven grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.

A Eucharistic Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, August 21 at St Michael’s Episcopal Church in Raleigh, NC. At a future date, a Memorial Choral Evensong will take place at Christ Church Cathedral in Lexington, KY.

In lieu of flowers, Bob’s family has requested that donations be made to any of the following charitable funds:

St Michael’s Episcopal Church
Organ Fund
1520 Canterbury Rd
Raleigh, NC 27608

Christ Church Cathedral
RSCM Camp and Tour Fund
166 Market St
Lexington, KY 40507

The Cathedral Domain
830 State Hwy 1746
Irvine, KY 40336