Burton Stone Middlebrooks

MIDDLEBROOKS, Lt. Col. Burton Stone, age 83, of Kettering, passed away on Thursday, May 8, 2014. Burton was born on February 9, 1931 in Atlanta, GA to the late Weston and Frances Middlebrooks. He grew up in the "finest house" in Sharon, GA (population 100), although it lacked indoor plumbing. He graduated as the Valedictorian of his high school class at Richmond Academy in Augusta, GA in 1948. He then attended the University of Georgia under the ROTC program, and graduated with a litany of honors with a Bachelor's Degree in Forestry in 1952. His senior yearbook describes him as "Popular, reliable, known over the entire campus. A good man in the woods. Burt fears neither man nor beast, but trembles at the mention of poison oak." Following graduation from the University of Georgia, he received a commission into the United States Air Force, and he had a long career in Military Intelligence including a stint in the CIA before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1972. Following his retirement from the Air Force, he returned to school at his beloved Ohio State University, earning a Master's Degree with honors in Natural Resources in 1973. He then worked at Battelle in Columbus and the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission in Dayton, before finishing his career as the Chief Operating Officer of Shaw, Weiss, and DeNaples in Dayton. Burton is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jeanette, whom he met in Bandera, TX in 1952 when he was a Lieutenant in the Air Force and she was a Lieutenant in the Army; children Brad (Bambi) of Xenia, Art (Patty) of Evergreen, CO, and Pete (Lisa) of Albuquerque, NM; grandchildren Bryan, Sarah, Carter, Rolando, and Hayden; and his loyal Golden Retriever, Pearl. Burton was an avid outdoorsman, worked as a timber cruiser in Alabama as a youth, and volunteered at Cox Arboretum giving tours for schoolchildren in his retirement. He was a die-hard Ohio State and Cincinnati Reds fan through good and bad. He loved to travel, and had ample opportunities to see most parts of the world while in the Air Force and afterwards. He was a man of tremendous integrity who always had a smile and a good word for everyone, and he inspired similar traits in his children and grandchildren and everyone he touched. The world is a better place because of him. The family would like to give special thanks to Reverend Judy Hadley for her many years of friendship, and for all of her love and support to both Burton and Jeanette. A visitation followed by a memorial service will be held at Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 E. Stroop Rd., Kettering, OH 45429 on Monday, May 12 from 4-6 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Society for the Improvement of Conditions for Stray Animals (SICSA), 2612 Wilmington Pike, Dayton, OH 45419 or Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington, Avenue, Dayton, OH 45230. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.routsong.com.

Funeral Home:
Kettering Routsong Funeral Home
2100 E. Stroop Rd.
Kettering, OH
US 45429