05/23/2021
Rest In Peace my beloved Ken
(05/21/50-05/15/21)
Kenneth (Ken) Burton had the warmest smile and a big heart. Friends called him the ‘gentle giant’. Ken was originally from the UK, where he lived over half his life. He lived in the US since 1995, mostly in Colorado, but also in North Carolina.
Ken spent his career in the telecom industry, managing network based products and customer relationships for over 35 years. During his tenure, he worked on many international projects, traveling to over 33 countries and flying over a million miles, despite never quite fitting in an airplane seat with his 6’5” frame. He made possible.
Although a citizen of three countries, Ken’s heart was always with London, his former home, and the home of his favorite orchestra, the Philharmonia. He often traveled back to hear particular concerts, visit with his sister and family, drink his favorite English beers and eat fish ‘n chips. He would get choked up talking about a great performance of the Rite of Spring or Beethoven’s 9th symphony or a myriad of other favorite pieces. He nurtured a love and appreciation for classical music in his family.
Despite a less than 30% chance of surviving five years with metastatic prostate cancer, Ken fought and beat it for nearly seven years with a full range of therapies, medical trials, and even a novel radiopharmaceutical therapy in Germany during the COVID-19 crisis. Ken was a most beloved husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather, and loved spending time with his family in the UK and in NC, especially on a deck overlooking the ocean, where he spent the final months of his life. He died peacefully at home. The family takes some solace in knowing he is no longer suffering, and that he will be utilized as a silent teacher through the anatomical gift program at Duke Medical School – it is a very fitting way for him to participate in furthering the cause of science, a subject he loved. He will be greatly missed.
Full obit at tributes.com/Kenneth Vaughan Burton
