Richard "Dewain" Burton, age 69, of Stanford, Kentucky, passed away suddenly on Friday, August 29, 2025.

He was born on December 19, 1955, the son of the late Lina Mae Smith and Jerry Smith.

Dewain was a graduate of Russell County High School and went on to attend Western Kentucky University on a football scholarship. He retired from UPS after many years of service and was currently employed at Ephraim McDowell Hospital.

Dewain will be remembered for his kind heart, steady presence, and love for the simple joys of life. He was an avid University of Kentucky basketball fan, found pride in his garden, loved eating breakfast with his friends everyday, and cherished evenings spent on the front porch with his wife of 45 years, Linda "Joy" Burton. His greatest joy, however, was watching his grandsons play ball and cheering them on every step of the way.

He is survived by his loving wife, Joy Burton; his daughter and son-in-law, Andrea and Wes Irvin; his beloved grandsons, Grady and Hudson Irvin; his brother in law and sister in law, Mike and Karen Minton; his niece, Jessica Minton; his father, Jerry Smith; his sister, Myra Wilson; his aunt, Vanda Smith;  his best friend, who was with him at the time of his death, Sherrill Wall, and many dear friends and neighbors he considered family.

In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Verl and Jean Minton.

A funeral service to honor Dewain's life will be held at Trinity Church in Columbia, Kentucky on Friday, September 5, 2025 at 1:00pm. Visitation will be on Friday after 10:00am at Trinity Church. Burial will be in the Bearwallow Cemetery.

Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Wes Irvin will be officiating the service. Pallbearers will be Alan Patterson, Keith Patterson, Josh Patterson, Jake Smith, Corey Hager, and John Witte.

Honorary pallbearers are Mike Minton, Sherrill Wall, Tommy Naylor, Tommy Browning, Dave Chafin, Royce Davis, and Logan Goggin.

In his passing, Dewain gave the ultimate gift as an organ donor, a final act of generosity that will continue to bless others for years to come. His legacy will live on in the love of his family, the friendships he nurtured, and the many lives he touched along the way.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital.